"Oh Right, that's because we are in court and the judge hasn't ruled yet," mayoral candidate George McDonald's response was as I approached him in the spin room over his poor showing in the latest financial disclosure. According to the Daily News, McDonald, who's been accepting over-limit donations while fighting the giving laws, raised a mere $21,204 between Jan. 12 and March 13th.
While Joe Lhota touts his experience in the Giuliani administration and his short stay at the MTA as his qualification to take the helm of the city, and while John Catsmaitidis has the money and the electability argument going for himself, Doe Fund founder is laying his hopes in the airwaves. "I have the message," he told NYC Elects following the mayoral debate hosted at 92Y and sponsored by the NY Observer.
"We are going to start collecting money under the matching funds, and qualify for that," McDonald said of his plan to promote his message. "I believe that will give us sufficient money, $1.5M by August, to be able to get our message out ahead of the Republican primary.
Addressing Catsimatidis's money advantage, McDonald stressed that at a certain point money becomes meaningless "Ask the woman in Connecticut, Linda McMahon, who ran for Senate twice. She spent 100 million dollars, and she got only 30-40 percent of the vote. So, Money is not always the determining factor," he said. "Of course if you spend a 100 million dollars it does have an impact," Mr. McDonald acknowledged Catsimatidis's strength in the mayoral race, "but I don't think he is going to do that."
"The winning thing about us is our message," he added.
In the event of Tom Allon's withdrawal, I asked McDonald whether he's committed to staying in until the very end, or that he would quit, once his chances get dimmer, to allow a one-on-one primary showoff. "Nooo.. Nooo.. I am running. I am going to be the next mayor of New York City," he proclaimed.
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