Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenger Michelle Caruso-Cabrera has raised $1 million in her bid to topple the lefty superstar in the June 23 Democratic primary, her campaign said Wednesday.
Caruso-Cabrera, the former veteran CNBC anchor, will report having $800,00 in cash on hand — minus expenses paid — when she officially files her financial disclosures with the Federal Elections Commission.
The financial report covers the first quarter of 2020 — Jan. 1-March 31 — and the report is due April. 15.
“The outpouring of support has been amazing. Before Coronavirus people were stopping me on the street showing their excitement. And from the beginning the countless handwritten letters from near and far s from across the country have been so moving,” said Caruso-Cabrera said.
“The national and local messages are clear: I will unite. AOC’s reign of division will end. This early financial and political support shows unstoppable momentum. As they say in New York, ‘you ain’t seen nothing yet.’ “
Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign declined to say Wednesday how much she has raised in the past three months or how much she has in her campaign treasury.
A spokesman declined comment on Caruso-Cabrera’s fundraising numbers.
But AOC has been a small-donor fundraising powerhouse. At the end of December, the democratic socialist darling had $2.9 million in her treasury after raising $1.9 million in donations the prior three months.
She raised more contributions than any other House Democrat from July 1 through August 30 of last year — $1.42 million.
She also started her own political action committee, Courage to Change, to help fund the campaigns of other progressive insurgents running for office. That has rattled the cages of House Democratic leadership and incumbents.
The 14th Congressional District includes portions of Queens and The Bronx, including neighborhoods hard-hit by the coronavirus.
Caruso-Cabrera is running as a moderate, pro-business democratic alternative to AOC. She backed the planned Amazon campus in Long Island City, which AOC helped scuttle in a dispute over subsidies to the e-tail giant.