Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman has accumulated dozens of contributions that exceed New York's $9,000 individual donation limit per election, according to campaign finance disclosures reviewed by POLITICO.

The state mandates a $9,000 cap for each election cycle, requiring candidates to refund amounts above that threshold. Blakeman's filings indicate he has not yet returned approximately $360,000 in excess contributions, with over 40 donations recorded since the primary ballot was certified on May 13. Some contributions were made well after the primary election date.

Notable examples include a $15,000 donation from an Eric Sternberg using a Nassau County PO Box in the spring, followed by additional $5,000 and $18,000 contributions from individuals with the same name and address in August and September. Former Republican Representative Nan Hayworth also exceeded the limit by contributing $5,205.08 twice within a two-month period, totaling $10,410.16.

The campaign has attempted to justify these contributions by directing donors to make supplemental payments to cover processing fees. For instance, a $5,000 donation might include a request for an additional $205.08, resulting in a total contribution of $5,205.08. This practice has led to multiple filings of the exact amount of $9,369.14, including one from former Trump administration official Anthony Scaramucci. Campaign finance attorney Ben Kallos noted that while campaigns often seek to have donors absorb processing costs, exceeding contribution limits remains prohibited.

Blakeman's campaign has attributed the discrepancies to technical issues with the state's campaign finance reporting system, stating that the Board of Elections required them to split their most recent report into multiple files due to its size. Democratic co-director Brian Keegan characterized this as a user error rather than a systemic problem.

If all duplicate entries were removed from Blakeman's filings, his total contributions would decrease by $292,000, reducing his reported balance from $114,000 deficit to a lower figure before accounting for the $360,000 in refunds he owes. This financial situation contrasts with his previous reports, which showed fluctuating campaign balances between $4.3 million and $6.1 million after multiple amendments.

Governor Kathy Hochul has also received contributions exceeding the limit, but her campaign has consistently returned surplus funds, such as a $1,000 refund from a $10,000 donation by the New York State Council of Machinists. State Democratic Committee Chair Jay Jacobs has called Blakeman's actions a violation of the law, stating that compliance with campaign finance regulations is essential regardless of political circumstances.

In a recent poll conducted by Marist University, Blakeman trails Governor Hochul by 11 points among likely voters, with 53% supporting Hochul and 42% supporting Blakeman. The survey, conducted from October 1 to 4 with a 3.6 percentage point margin of error, reflects growing concerns about campaign finance practices in the race.