Lawmakers Already Lining Up Donations for Next Races

The president of Brooklyn, Marty Markowitz, capped off his annual state of the borough speech last week with a hint that's he preparing a bid for mayor.

While Mr. Markowtiz has long been rumored to have his eye on City Hall, campaign finance records show that he and other aspirants for higher office are already starting to stockpile donations.

Mr. Markowitz has raised more than $275,000 on top of the $1 million he likely has left over from his last election. Other lawmakers who have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations include the city comptroller, William Thompson, the City Council speaker, Christine Quinn, the president of the Bronx, Adolfo Carrion Jr., and council members Eric Gioia, Melinda Katz, and John Liu, according to the New York City Campaign Finance Board.

Mr. Thompson leads the way, with $1 million as of mid-January, and tens of thousands in contributions from law firms.

Like Mr. Markowitz, records show Mr. Thompson brought in $1 million more than he spent in 2005, which he can roll over to the current election cycle.

Surprisingly close behind, analysts say, is Mr. Liu, the Queens council member who has raised nearly $900,000, much of which comes from within Flushing.

Ms. Quinn has raised $200,000, Mr. Carrion $545,000, Mr. Gioia $725,000, Ms. Katz $665,000, and Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. of Queens has brought in $235,000. As these candidates are raising money for an undeclared position, they could run for any citywide office up for election in 2009.

"You're going to have a very crowded field because you have no incumbent, and you have no heir apparent," an urban policy professor at Columbia, Ester Fuchs, who also has served in the Bloomberg administration, said.

Ms. Fuchs cautioned against reading too much into the amounts raised so far because the election is almost three years away.

Noticeably absent from the list of declared potential candidates is Rep. Anthony Weiner, a Democratic candidate for mayor in 2005.

Ms. Fuchs said she was very surprised not to see Mr. Weiner's name in the mix, and offered speculation that he might be enjoying his more powerful position in the new Democratic congressional majority.

Mr. Weiner's office declined to comment.