Thompson Narrows Miller's Lead In Fund-Raising for Mayoral Run

City Council Speaker Gifford Miller has raised $3.35 million for a mayoral run next year, his campaign reported yesterday, but his lead among Democrats eyeing the office was tempered by impressive numbers posted by Comptroller William Thompson Jr.

The comptroller reported raising $1.2 million in the last six months, besting the $750,000 raised by Mr. Miller and narrowing the gap between them to about $650,000 from $1.1 million in January.

Candidates looking to receive public matching funds have until Thursday to report contributions collected between January 15 and July 11 to the city Campaign Finance Board, but some contenders released their numbers early.

According to board records, Mr. Thompson's $1.2 million was the most raised by any candidate for city office in a six-month span since the 2001 election. Mr. Miller raised just under $1 million during the previous six-month period.

Aides to the Manhattan borough president, C. Virginia Fields, said her campaign raised roughly $260,000, bringing her total to $912,000, while Rep. Anthony Weiner reported raking in $500,000 since opening a campaign committee three months ago.

Council Member Tony Avella, of Queens, who recently formed an exploratory committee for a mayoral run, said he raised $50,000 in the last six months. Council Member Charles Barron, of Brooklyn, said he raised between $10,000 and $15,000.

An aide to a former Bronx borough president, Fernando Ferrer, who polls show has the best chance of winning the Democratic nomination and unseating Mayor Bloomberg, said his campaign would report to the board by the Thursday deadline.

Despite not holding as commanding a lead over his opponents as he did in January, Mr. Miller's $750,000 will propel his campaign past $5 million when coupled with public matching funds. Roughly $500,000 of Mr. Miller's $3.35 million is eligible for the $4-to-$1 match.

"With more than $750,000 raised this period, Gifford Miller will pass the $5 million mark with matching funds faster than any mayoral campaign in history," said the director of Miller for New York, Lisa Esler.

Mr. Thompson's fund-raising was aided by a last-minute push for contributions over the Internet. Aides to the comptroller said he collected $100,000 in Internet contributions, including $50,000 in the last two weeks.

"We raised more money in the past six-month period than in the past two fund-raising periods combined," Mr. Thompson said in a "thank-you" message on his Web site.

Aides to Ms. Fields said they were pleased with the support, and a spokesman for Mr. Weiner said the congressman hopes to shift $1 million in his federal war chest to a city campaign.

All of the candidates face a formidable opponent in Mr. Bloomberg, who spent $74 million of his own money on his 2001 campaign.

Of all the Democrats reporting to the board this week, only Mr. Barron, with the smallest amount of cash on hand, has formally announced his candidacy for mayor.

"We're counting people, not money," Mr. Barron said. "You can beat the billionaires with people."