(Photo: Igor2013.com)

Igor Oberman, who only started campaigning for Councilman Mike Nelson's seat 3 weeks ago, has already raised more than $85,000 according to his campaign. The sum--likely to be among the largest earned by any of the city's Council candidates this filing period--instantly puts down a strong marker in a heated race in southern Brooklyn. His team also said Mr. Oberman, an attorney and president of the board of directors in a large housing complex in the district, amassed the sum through over 200 donors, 70 percent of whom came from within the district.

"This is a game-changer," spokesman Jonathan Yedin told Politicker. "Igor's massive fundraising haul proves his message is resonating and voters are getting behind his campaign in a big way."

Most of Mr. Oberman's top rivals have yet to get their fundraising efforts off the ground. Chaim Deutsch, a staffer in Mr. Nelson's office, still has to form a campaign committee, while Ari Kagan, a local district leader who's running with the support of the county's Democratic establishment, has a committee with just a couple donations so far.

However, attorney Michael Treybich and community board chairwoman Theresa Scavo are in a better position. Mr. Treybich raised more than $20,000 in his previous filing, but has yet to post his most recent numbers. Ms. Scavo has almost $35,000 stockpiled from an aborted 2009 campaign. Another attorney, Natraj Bhushan, has raised $1,500 to date.

Update (6:56 p.m.):  Added in official comment from the Oberman campaign.