By Gabriela Resto-Montero
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER EAST SIDE — Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney led the pack of contenders for her East Side congressional seat by raising more than $515,000 in second-quarter donations.
The incumbent now has $1.5 million cash on hand for her battle against challenger Reshma Saujani, who currently has a total of $426,000 cash on hand.
Maloney raised a total of $515,000 in the second quarter, $409,000 of which she can use for the primary.
Saujani raised a total of $394,000 in the same period, $373,333 of which she can use for the primary.
More than 4,000 people donated to Maloney's campaign in the second quarter, and the most frequent contribution for the period was $100, according to her campaign.
"Carolyn is grateful for the broad base of support from every corner of the district," said Matt Tepper, Maloney's campaign manager, in a statement.
Saujani announced that less than a quarter of her second-quarter fundraising money came from Wall Street donors Wednesday in defense of critics’ claims that she is too close to the financial services industry.
On the Republican side, candidate Ryan Brumberg edged out Dino LaVerghetta with $54,417 cash on hand compared with LaVerghetta's $52,748.
Brumberg and LaVerghetta have been trying to grab votes from socially liberal but financially conservative voters in the district.
Both contenders are listed as candidates by the state Libertarian Party, and LaVerghetta received the endorsement of the Independence Party in June.
