Democratic Socialist Councilwoman Breaks Fundraising Record
SEATTLE, WA - MARCH 08: Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant speaks at a rally in honor of International Women's Day, to stand up for reproductive rights and economic equality for women at Westlake Center on March 8, 2017 in Seattle, United States. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic socialist Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George has achieved remarkable success for her mayoral campaign just hours after launching it, raising enough funds to qualify for public financing and setting a new record in the District.
George announced this significant achievement on Monday afternoon, stating the council had surpassed the $40,000 target “thanks to your support.” She noted the city reached Fair Elections standards more than 1,000 donors shortly after her campaign began, securing public financing immediately. This marks a considerable feat, as it was accomplished in about four hours.
“We qualified for public financing in just 4 hours and set a record,” George shared through social media channels, emphasizing that the “people-powered movement” has only begun its momentum building phase so far.
Her fundraising pace has already drawn comparisons to New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani. Similar to Mamdani, Lewis George employed socialist-leaning policy proposals as key campaign points, connecting with D.C.’s largely left-wing base through a focus on issues like public transit access and childcare availability.
The success of her fundraising efforts now places her within the framework of the city’s 5-to-1 public matching program. This means every dollar raised above the initial $40,000 threshold will be matched by public funds at a rate five times higher than normal contributions alone.
While details on total funds secured were less specific in this announcement compared to previous reports from outlets like The Washington Post suggesting she now holds over $110,000 in donations, the initial qualification is undeniably impressive. Campaign sources expressed astonishment at the rapid response and early lead generated for her candidacy just hours into what should be a long race against formidable opponents.
