Divergent days for Mamdani and Adams
Zohran Mamdani wants to help spread his revolution outside New York City — while embattled Mayor Eric Adams is trying to defend himself at home.
It was a splitscreen day for an unpredictable mayoral campaign that underscored how the political left is trying to capitalize on Mamdani's moment.
And it was a reminder that Adams, whose corruption case was dismissed after he cozied up to President Donald Trump, must still contend with allegations he has run a graft-prone administration after his former police commissioner filed a bombshell lawsuit.
Mamdani spent part of his day in Washington huddling privately with lefty House Democrats to discuss lessons learned from his upset primary win over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The meeting was a chance for Mamdani, a previously unknown state assemblyman with scant experience, to burnish a growing national reputation as an adept retail campaigner and social media maven.
He is also growing closer with the left's other big star, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
'Getting to know people in person can always help and something I share with Zohran is the way sometimes people are painted in media doesn't really align with who we are in person,' Ocasio-Cortez told reporters on Wednesday.
Having powerful allies will help Mamdani if he's leading City Hall next year. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is yet to endorse him, has tried to reassure nervous business leaders that she will be a backstop to Mamdani's lefty ideas like hiking taxes on rich New Yorkers.
Mamdani's efforts to expand his reach, though, weren't just confined to the halls of power: The Democratic Socialists of America sent a recruitment email signed by their newly famous member urging people to join the organization.
Adams, meanwhile, was accused by his short-lived former interim NYPD commissioner of running the department as a 'criminal conspiracy' alongside top aides.
The eye-opening suit filed by Tom Donlon alleged the Adams administration protected top brass, abused the promotion system and retaliated against whistleblowers.
An Adams spokesperson called the suit baseless and accused Donlon of being a 'disgruntled former employee.'
'This suit is nothing more than an attempt to seek compensation at the taxpayer's expense after Mr. Donlon was rightfully removed from the role of interim police commissioner,' City Hall spokesperson Kayla Mamelak Altus said.
The allegations go to the heart of Adams' original appeal to many voters as a former police captain who pledged to tackle public safety and railed against criminal justice law changes in Albany.
The suit hits as Adams is fighting for his political life, distantly trailing Mamdani, Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in polling as he mounts an uphill campaign to keep his job.
Yet the mayor will continue to have a bully pulpit that comes with leading the nation's largest city — something his rivals don't enjoy.
And he will continue to lean into support from cops: More than a dozen law enforcement unions today will endorse Adams' campaign for a second term. — Nick Reisman
HAPPY THURSDAY: Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman.
WHERE'S KATHY? In Albany and Saratoga County holding a cabinet meeting to discuss the impact of federal cuts.
WHERE'S ERIC? Schedule not available as of 10 p.m. Wednesday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'He's incredibly dynamic, but it's not just that he's dynamic. People are so curious. They want to know what all the fuss is about.' — Julie Samuels, president and CEO of Tech:NYC, cohost of a gathering of about 150 business and tech leaders who met with Mamdani as he confronts his skeptics head on, POLITICO reports today.
ABOVE THE FOLD
ADAMS' HAUL: It wasn't all bad news for Adams. A new filing from the city's Campaign Finance Board showed his money problem abating.
The incumbent's reelection campaign reported a monster $1.5 million haul from donors between June 10 and Friday. Nearly all of that cash came after the June 24 primary won handily by Mamdani. And with only $263,000 in expenditures — mostly going toward fundraisers at venues like the mayor's longtime haunt Osteria La Baia and consultants including Brianna Suggs of FBI-raid infamy — the mayor is suddenly sitting on a cool $3 million, more than either Mamdani or Cuomo.
The hefty sum is a seven-figure symptom of the panic gripping boardrooms across the city's business districts as titans of industry search for a way to prevent Mamdani, a democratic socialist, from reaching City Hall.
The list of Adams contributions is rife with donors from law firms like Fried Frank, development firms including Silverstein Properties and commercial brokerages like Cushman & Wakefield. They've latched onto the incumbent as their champion following a lackluster performance from Cuomo in the primary, losing by roughly 13 points despite $26 million in outside expenditures boosting his candidacy.
'Voters are looking at the alternative and saying, 'We can't afford to go backwards,'' campaign spokesperson Todd Shapiro said in a statement, referring to Mamdani. 'That's why support is pouring in — this campaign is energized, unified, and ready to win.'
The support of the monied class comes even as Adams faces enormous obstacles to reelection.
To start with, he is running on an independent ballot line in a city of staunch Democrats. And despite his impressive haul, he will still need millions of dollars in public matching funds from the Campaign Finance Board to run a viable campaign. The mayor's legal team is confident he will get the crucial infusion following a judge's ruling, but the board has said its investigation into Adams' fundraising practices is ongoing.
And then there's the matter of Adams' standing with voters. For an incumbent, it is atrocious. A recent poll from Data for Progress found the mayor coming in third behind Mamdani and Cuomo in a general election with 15 percent of the vote. The same survey found Adams with a 29-70 negative approval rating. — Joe Anuta
CITY HALL: THE LATEST
GOP DIGS IN: Mamdani's warm reception from progressive House Democrats in Washington offered fresh fodder for Republicans intent on casting him as the face of a party they say is headed way too far to the left.
Both parties are gearing up for a competitive midterm cycle with control of the House at play. Mamdani has said he wants to help Democrats retake the speaker's gavel, noting the health care and food aid cuts in President Donald Trump's 'one big, beautiful bill.' Republicans say his ascent is the reason they'll keep control of the chamber.
'Zohran Mamdani is the socialist hero Democrats have been waiting for, and we look forward to seeing him on the campaign trail with House Democrats in every swing district in America,' National Republican Campaign Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella said in a statement.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, New York City's only House Republican, posted, 'Congressional Democrats in Washington are spending the morning embracing Karl Marx-loving #Mamdani.' (Mamdani identifies as a democratic socialist, not a communist.)
Rep. Nick LaLota of eastern Long Island, a battleground Republican, sent a fundraising email pegged to the meeting: 'While I fight for safer streets, real tax relief, and service over socialism, the Squad is trying to grow their ranks with fringe radicals like Mamdani.' — Emily Ngo
More from the city:
— A proposal to switch New York City to an open primary system will not be added to this November's ballot, the Charter Revision Commission said. (THE CITY)
— Out-of-state donors are flocking to Mamdani's campaign to the tune of more than $350K since his primary win. (New York Post)
— Andrew Cuomo, conceding his failed primary campaign was flawed, takes to NYC streets. (Daily News)
NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY
MAPPING IT OUT: Fifteen state lawmakers are urging Apple and Google to adjust their mapping software so drivers are warned when they cross an international border.
The demand, contained in a letter released by Assemblymember Grace Lee's office, follows reports that navigation apps directed people to bridges and roads that reached border checkpoints. For some drivers in New York and Michigan, the mistake has led to their detention.
'As elected officials, it is our duty to protect our communities,' the lawmakers wrote in the letter. 'We believe your company shares a responsibility to ensure your tools do not inadvertently put users in harm's way.'
Reps for Google and Apple did not return messages seeking comment.
The letter underscores broader concerns immigration advocates and Democrats have over the aggressive approach the Trump administration is taking toward deportations. New York lawmakers are yet to propose legislation to address the mapping issue. — Nick Reisman
More from Albany:
— New York's tax collections are coming in higher than expected. (Spectrum News)
— Bills for gender-affirming care are awaiting Hochul's signature. (Gothamist)
— Corrections officers accused of beating a prison inmate to death will face an October trial. (Times Union)
KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION
LAWLER V$ THE DEMS: GOP Rep. Mike Lawler had slightly more campaign cash on hand at the end of June than all seven of his Democratic challengers combined, according to their latest Federal Election Commission filings.
The battleground Republican had more than $2.2 million to spend on his reelection campaign, as first reported by Playbook, including a transfer from House Speaker Mike Johnson's PAC. The Democrats' filings showed that they collectively had less than $2.19 million cash on hand.
Lawler is weighing whether to run for a third term in the Hudson Valley or make a bid for governor. He has been a top target for House Democrats who are eager to spotlight his vote in favor of the GOP megabill.
Several of the Democratic candidates are later entries to the race still finding their fundraising footing, and the cash will undoubtedly flow more readily as 2026 draws closer.
Three — Peter Chatzky, Jessica Reinmann and Effie Phillips-Staley — loaned their campaigns money. One — Phillips-Staley — had a negative cash-on-hand balance, according to her filing, but her campaign said she actually has $99,000 in the bank. That total, while not reflected in her filing Tuesday, would put the field of seven Democrats ahead of Lawler's cash on hand.
Beth Davidson and Cait Conley had the largest war chests without self-financing — $489,319 and $315,778, respectively.
Lawler campaign spokesperson Chris Russell sniped: 'The radical Democrats' collective weakness is so glaring, even Sean Patrick Maloney is considering jumping back in to try, and fail, to rescue Democrats from their paltry effort to flip NY-17.' — Emily Ngo
More from Congress:
— GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino is vying to be the next head of a powerful House committee with broad sway over U.S. cyber policy. (POLITICO Pro)
— Inside House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' embrace of the Jeffrey Epstein strategy. (Axios)
— Nearly a dozen Senate Republicans are pressing the Trump administration to release billions of dollars in federal education funding. (POLITICO)
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
— State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating a cop who shot a knife-wielding man. (New York Post)
— The federal megabill guts a $29 million healthy food program. (Gothamist)
— Why flash floods like those in New York are becoming more common. (Axios)
SOCIAL DATA
MAKING MOVES: Kirsten Bladh has joined Open New York as policy manager, coming from Los Angeles advocacy group Streets for All where she was associate director of state policy.
WEDDING VOWS: Timothy Nerozzi, foreign affairs reporter at the Washington Examiner, and Diana Glebova, White House reporter at the New York Post, got married June 28 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. They first met working at the Daily Caller in 2021 and reconnected via the D.C. media world. Pic
— Greg Drilling, former managing director at Mercury Public Affairs, and Shar Shuai, engineering manager at Barclays Capital, got married on Sunday at Arrow Park in Monroe, New York, in a multicultural wedding celebration.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Morning Consult's Kyle Dropp … Reuters' Mike Stone … former U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios … Kayla Tausche … Emma Loop … Katie Zezima … Ben Softy … Caitlin O'Connell Fitchette … Matt Berger … (WAS WEDNESDAY): Julian A. Brodsky ... Sidney Stein ... Tony Kushner
Missed Wednesday's New York Playbook PM? We forgive you. Read it here.
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The Hill
25 minutes ago
- The Hill
Whole Hog Politics: It's the socialism, stupid
On the menu: Epstein scandal not going quietly; Cornyn gets a boost; Hogg-tied; Ernst headed for the exits?; 'TacticalGramma' There's something familiar about the way a lot of Democrats are talking these days about their party's nominee for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani. A standard line from Democrats skeptical of socialistic policies and anxious about anti-Israel energy is to say something about how mainstream candidates can learn a lot from his style: social media-savvy, high-energy, and focused on kitchen-table issues. They say it was ' a brilliant campaign ' and duck the substance. The echo you're hearing there hearkens back a decade to what Republicans were saying about Donald Trump 's early successes. It was the same shtick: Mainstream candidates, it was said, could learn a lot from Trump's grasp of Twitter, blunt talk, media savviness, use of humor and pugnacity. Imitation soon followed, and to predictably disastrous results. Like, really disastrous. Really, really disastrous. Certainly for a general election, style tends to matter more than substance. Lower-propensity voters without strong attachments to either major party are bound to be less concerned about the fine points of policy than the super-high-frequency voters who populate a primary electorate. Vibes matter with those voters, but big ideological questions tend to be front and center. If Trump had been a celebrity squish with an appetite for comprehensive immigration reform, it wouldn't have mattered if he was famous or funny or good at Twitter. So it goes with Mamdani and the adventures in economic planning and the thrill of denouncing Zionism. When it comes to the lesson for the blue team, the The New York Times's Nate Cohn said it best: The Democratic Party has shifted dramatically to the left in the past decade. 'Today, liberal Democrats outnumber moderate and conservative ones by 12 percentage points, according to Gallup, 55 percent to 43 percent. In 2016 and 2020, liberals were essentially even with moderate and conservative Democrats.' That's not to say that Mamdani didn't run a terrific campaign. In fact, he still is. Faced with a challenge from the right by independents Andrew Cuomo and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, Mamdani isn't playing it safe. Safe would be to count on those two to divide the anti-socialist vote and smash through to victory by keeping his progressive base fired up and freaked out. That would certainly be the Trump-y move. Instead, Mamdani is trying to grow his coalition by visiting with business leaders and calling on tDemocratic members of Congress. Sure, Mamdani didn't win many converts from the Upper West Side, and, sure, many of the big-name Washington pols who met with him were already on his side. But the big part is showing up, and doing it with a smile. You could say that Adams is reaching out to his right, too. Only he's skipping the center and going for the fringe, as he rakes in big bucks from Trump-aligned donors and spends his media moments on Fox News. Good for keeping busy and maybe even for beating Republican Curtis Sliwa in Staten Island, but not exactly a mainstream choice. And with Sliwa bangers like ' slapping fannies and killing grannies,' maybe not even Staten Island. But if Adams has plenty of money rolling in and gets to keep busy doing media, that's a serious problem for Cuomo, who is trying very hard to get into a one-on-one race with Mamdani, going so far as to say he would drop out if he's trailing Adams in the homestretch, and wants Adams to do the same. Mamdani is no dummy and knows that it would be a mistake to underestimate the threat Cuomo poses. The general electorate looks very little like the primary, and Mamdani's critics will now have months to hammer his weaknesses, not just on the substance of socialism and anti-Zionism but also on the style. What can delight the true believers may come off as slick or phony when presented to a broader audience. Certainly, Cuomo is in no danger of coming off as too slick, and can summon what seems to be a kind of enthusiasm when talking about things like mass transit and sewer improvements. Given the crowded field, is that enough to deny Mamdani a win? Probably not, but it won't be a cakewalk, even if Adams just hangs around to audition for a cable news contributorship. The lesson for Democrats in all this is the same one that Republicans failed to grasp about Trump in 2016. Mamdani's success is certainly about his prodigious gifts as a politician, but those aren't easily replicated. What is replicable is a platform, and with the right one, a radical minority movement within a larger party can stage a hostile takeover. It happened to Republicans around immigration, and one of these days, it may happen to Democrats around socialism. Establishment Democrats managed to keep an avowed socialist from winning their party's nomination in 2020 and 2024 and even managed the controlled demolition of an incumbent president's reelection campaign in favor of another normie. And the old guard's ability to deliver solid, electable moderates for races this year in New Jersey and Virginia similarly speaks well of the health of the normies. The spectacular failure of aspiring enfant terrible David Hogg this week in the first test of his youth movement in an Arizona House primary would seem to point in the same direction, but look closer. The Hogg-backed candidate, Deja Foxx, a '25-year-old political content creator' isn't substantially more radical than the winner, Adelita Grijalva. Indeed, what Hogg mostly seems to be focused on is youth for youth's sake and social media virality. He's trying to do the same thing that old-head Democrats are talking about learning from Mamdani. That, again, misses the point. Mamdani has many specific attributes and won in a very unusual kind of primary where an incumbent mayor had left the party and the front-runner was dragging heavy baggage. Those are not things that can be replicated in other Democratic primaries, but his socialism can be. Holy croakano! We welcome your feedback, so please email us with your tips, corrections, reactions, amplifications, etc. at WHOLEHOGPOLITICS@ If you'd like to be considered for publication, please include your real name and hometown. If you don't want your comments to be made public, please specify. NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Trump Job Performance Average Approval: 41.8% Average Disapproval: 54.2% Net Score: -12.4 Change from one week ago: -1.2 points Change from one month ago: -0.8 points [Average includes: Reuters/Ipsos 41% approve – 54% disapprove; AP-NORC 40% approve 58% disapprove; Echelon Insights 45% approve – 53% disapprove; Quinnipiac 40% approve – 54% disapprove; Marist 43% approve -52% disapprove] Confidence in higher ed rebounds How much confidence do you, yourself, have in higher education: Now vs one year ago Great deal/Quite a lot: 42% to 36% Some: 33% to 32% Very little/None: 23% to 32% [ Gallup survey of 1,402 U.S. adults, June 2-26 ] ON THE SIDE: IT'S ALWAYS IN THE LAST PLACE YOU LOOK Earth: 'A dusty envelope misplaced in a government archive has rewritten a chapter of mineral history. That 1949 letter, discovered during a 2023 digitization project in Bavaria, pointed curators toward a shoebox of lemon‑yellow fragments that had sat unnoticed for decades. Roland Eichhorn of the Bavarian State Office for the Environment (LfU) led the modern hunt that followed, and his team soon realized they were staring at humboldtine, one of the scarcest minerals on the planet. Archivists scanning shelves in Hof found the coal‑mine owner's note and the tantalizing phrase: 'Humboldtine from the Mathias mine near Schwandorf.' Their curiosity sent Eichhorn's crew rifling through more than 130,000 catalogued specimens stored beneath the LfU headquarters. In a small box, the team found hazelnut‑sized yellow fragments and a handwritten label that matched the location mentioned in the letter.' PRIME CUTS Dems pounce as Trump fails to quell MAGA revolt on Epstein: Associated Press: 'Democrats are latching on to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, demanding records be released and trolling Republicans on social media, news shows and in the U.S. House as they revel in a rare fissure between President Donald Trump and his fiercely loyal base. … The controversy puts many elected Republicans in an uncomfortable position, caught between a president who demands loyalty and a sizable segment of their base convinced the files will expose a vast conspiracy covered up by elites. House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday became the highest-ranking Republican to break with Trump on Epstein, telling conservative podcaster Benny Johnson that 'we should put everything out there and let the people decide.'' Poll shows Republicans almost evenly split on Trump's handling of scandal: USA Today: 'Voters aren't happy with how President Donald Trump's team is dealing with the controversial Jeffrey Epstein case as the MAGA family feud over the deceased financier's sordid past continues to divide Republicans. A new Quinnipiac University survey released on July 16 shows almost two-thirds of voters disapprove of the administration's handling of the case a week after the Justice Department and the FBI released no new files and concluded that the convicted sex offender died by suicide in his jail cell. Just 17% of registered voters gave the Trump administration a thumbs up when asked about the Epstein fallout versus 63% who gave them a thumbs down. … The Quinnipiac poll shows an almost even split among GOP voters, however, with 40% approving compared to 36% disapproving, with another 24% saying they don't have an opinion. Democrats and independents overwhelmingly have expressed displeasure, with 83% and 71% disapproving, respectively.' Cornyn cash haul helps calm GOP jitters: The Hill: Sen. John Cornyn's (R-Texas) reelection campaign announced Monday that he raised more than $3.9 million in the second quarter of the year, surpassing the sum raised by his top primary rival. … Cornyn's announced fundraising haul comes days after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, his challenger in the Republican primary, announced his campaign raised $2.9 million during the same period. … The incumbent is facing arguably the toughest fight of his political career, as most polls show Paxton leading him in the primary, which is slated for early March. … A source told The Hill last week that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), who is supporting Cornyn, met with President Trump on Wednesday evening to discuss upcoming Senate races, including the Lone Star State's. It's unclear whether Trump, who is an ally of both Cornyn and Paxton, will endorse in the race.' Judge shields Paxton divorce records from the public: KUT: 'The judge currently handling Attorney General Ken Paxton 's divorce case has decided to shield the records in the case from public disclosure. Judge Ray Wheless, a Republican serving as the regional administrative judge for North Texas, ordered the case records be sealed Friday. He was brought on to the case after the judge originally assigned to the case, Jill Renfro Willis, recused herself. While Willis did not give a reason for her recusal, she and her husband, Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, have longtime ties to the Paxtons. Sealing the court records means the public will not have access to further filings in the case, which has garnered significant public interest given the Paxtons' political prominence and past links between the attorney general's infidelity and allegations of corruption.' Hogg thwarted as Adelita Grijalva protects late father's seat: Forbes: ' Deja Foxx, a popular social media influencer, lost Tuesday night's Democratic primary for the congressional seat vacated by the death of Rep. Raul Grijalva in March to the late congressman's daughter Adelita Grijalva, who was backed by top Democrats and progressive lawmakers like Rep. A lexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen Bernie Sanders. … Arizona's 7th district is heavily Democratic leaning, according to the Cook Political Report, meaning whoever wins Tuesday's primary will be a heavy favorite in the Sept. 23 general election. Republicans only hold a slim majority in the House and are keen to pick up any available seats. … Foxx was also one of the candidates endorsed by Leaders We Deserve, the political organization founded by former Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg with the intention of winning primary elections against sitting Democrats 'unwilling or unable to meet the moment' and 'asleep at the wheel.'' Obama tells Dems to stop whining: CNN: 'Former President Barack Obama issued a call to action for Democrats at a private fundraiser in New Jersey on Friday evening, urging those frustrated by the state of the country under President Donald Trump to 'stand up for the things that you think are right.' … 'I think it's going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions. And it's going to require Democrats to just toughen up.' … As Democrats debate who should lead the party, Obama encouraged them to channel their energy into the governor's races in New Jersey and Virginia, saying the off-year elections could be 'a big jumpstart for where we need to go.'' SHORT ORDER Puny fundraising spurs speculation about possible Ernst retirement — KCRG Perennial candidate Stacey Abrams puts Georgia Dems on notice: She may run again — NPR Rep. Zach Nunn (R) drops potential Iowa governor bid after Trump steers him back to House — KCCI D.C. voters reward Councilman Trayon White with return to office after expulsion for corruption — WTOP Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) blames 'processing error' for $85,000 in unpaid rent — The Hill Poll shows Spanberger still holds dominating Virginia gubernatorial lead — The Hill Former Rep. Mary Peltola keeps Alaska Dems in suspense — Northern Journal TABLE TALK: EXIT SANDMAN 'Absolutely not authorized.' — A spokesperson for the band Metallica when asked about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth 's use of the band's hit 'Enter Sandman' for a video of himself with aerial drones. The Pentagon removed the music at the band's request. You should email us! Write to WHOLEHOGPOLITICS@ with your tips, kudos, criticisms, insights, rediscovered words, wonderful names, recipes, and, always, good jokes. Please include your real name—at least first and last—and hometown. Make sure to let us know in the email if you want to keep your submission private. My colleague, the boldly determined Meera Sehgal, and I will look for your emails and then share the most interesting ones and my responses here. Clickety clack! FOR DESSERT: THE GOLDEN AGE OF GAMING The Guardian: 'The military shooter game has a predominantly young male user base, but Statham's Twitch handle is TacticalGramma — a nod to the 60-year-old's two grandkids. Her lifelong gaming hobby has become an income stream. … 'A lot of people are surprised that someone my age is playing video games,' [Michelle] Statham admits. She finds the gameplay exhilarating. 'When I get really good long sniper shots in, or down someone out of a helicopter, that's pretty fun,' she says. Statham is one of the 57 million Americans over 50 who game, a cohort that represents 28% of roughly 205 million total US gamers. … According to the ESA, nearly half of Americans in their 60s and 70s play some form of PC, mobile or console video game every week, as do 36% of people in their 80s.' Chris Stirewalt is the politics editor for The Hill and NewsNation, the host of ' The Hill Sunday '
Axios
25 minutes ago
- Axios
Evans, Rutinel lead fundraising in Colorado's 8th District race
Colorado's most competitive congressional race is drawing millions in campaign contributions. The big picture: Six candidates vying for the 8th Congressional District seat have raised just over $4 million this election cycle, according to the latest federal filings. Why it matters: The fundraising surge reflects Democrats' urge to claw back power in 2026, while Republicans are keen on preserving their slim majority to advance President Trump's policies in the final two years of his term. By the numbers: Incumbent U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Fort Lupton) tops all 8th District candidates, raising $1.7 million this year — $838,369 in the second quarter alone — nearing the total he raised in the general election last year, his campaign tells us. Meanwhile, state lawmakers Shannon Bird and Manny Rutinel are setting themselves apart from their Democratic peers. Bird, who joined the race in May, outraised her fellow Democrats with a $446,559 haul in the second quarter, while Rutinel collected $416,071. His total fundraising — $1.6 million — makes him the only Democrat keeping pace with Evans, whose campaign received an additional $9,500 in the second quarter from a joint fundraising committee with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnston, per Colorado Politics. State of play: Seven Democrats are trying to flip a seat viewed largely as a toss-up in what's shaping up to be the first truly competitive Democratic primary in the district's brief history. Denis Abrate, Amie Baca-Oehlert, Yadira Caraveo and Dave Young join Bird and Rutinel in trying to defeat Evans, who flipped the seat last year. Abrate hasn't reported raising money yet. Meanwhile, U.S. Marine veteran Evan Munsing jumped into the race Thursday. Follow the money: Behind Evans, Rutinel and Bird in fundraising in the second quarter were Caraveo ($214,099), Young ($74,919) and Baca-Oehlert ($57,647). Young and Baca-Oehlert declared their candidacy last month. The intrigue: Caraveo, the first person elected to the new seat in 2022, is lagging behind her Democratic opposition, signaling her chances at regaining a seat she lost to Evans may be dwindling. What they're saying:"While others are playing politics, Gabe Evans is lapping the competition and delivering wins that matter," a spokesperson for the Republican congressman told us in a statement. "People are rallying behind my campaign to put a stop to Trump's disastrous agenda," Rutinel said in a statement, adding his campaign has received an average contribution of $28 from more than 30,000 people. "Thanks to our strong early support, we are well on our way to firing Gabe Evans," Bird said in a statement. The bottom line: With less than a year until the primary, Rutinel and Bird appear locked in a Democratic fundraising battle — but Evans' cash advantage looms large over the field.
Engadget
25 minutes ago
- Engadget
Trump's firing of Democratic FTC commissioner was unlawful, judge rules
Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, one of the Democratic FTC Commissioners President Trump had fired back in March, said she looks forward to getting back to work. US District Judge Loren AliKhan has just ruled that her removal from the agency was "unlawful and without legal effect" and that she was still a "rightful member" of the commission. The judge explained that the firings violated protections that prevent a president from unilaterally removing officials at independent agencies. In her statement after the ruling was handed down, Slaughter said the "for-cause removal protections that apply to [her] colleagues and her at the FTC also protect other independent economic regulators like the SEC, the FDIC, and the Federal Reserve." Slaughter was one of the two Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission that Trump had removed from their position, leaving only three Republican commissioners in charge. Historically, the FTC had five members: Three from the same party as the president and two from the opposite party. At the moment, FTC's website only lists the three current Republican commissioners, including Chairman Andrew Ferguson. The chairman previously said that he had "no doubts about [Trump's] constitutional authority to remove Commissioners, which is necessary to ensure democratic accountability for [the] government." The other fired Democratic commissioner, Alvaro Bedoya, was originally part of the lawsuit. However, his claims had been dismissed since he resigned from the agency completely and took on a private-sector job since then, explaining that he couldn't afford to have no income while the case was in court. White House spokesperson Kush Desai told The New York Times that the administration would appeal AliKhan's decision. "The Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the president's constitutional authority to fire and remove executive officers who exercise his authority,' he added. The judge expected as such and noted in her ruling that the case would likely reach the Supreme Court. As Politico has noted, the Supreme Court previously refused to reinstate the members of the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board that Trump had fired. Those personnel were also supposed to be protected by the federal law the restricts the president's ability to remove government agency officials.
