The invitation for one of Reshma Saujani's California fund-raisers this week.

Reshma Saujani's campaign for public advocate is getting a boost from Silicon Valley, with contributions from some of high-tech's biggest names.

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg is among the contributors who will appear in filings the campaign expects to file today with the city's Campaign Finance Board. Grammy-award winner John Legend also chipped in.

Ms. Saujani, a former deputy public advocate and the founder of the non-profit Girls Who Code, will report raising nearly $154,000 over the past two months, her campaign told Politicker. In total, she has raised $2,180,000 when combined with match funds, they said.

“I’m proud of the outpouring of grassroots support that has helped our campaign expand and grow over the last two months,” Ms. Saujani said in a statement. “These are people that are joining me to fight for opportunity for all New Yorkers and are looking for a Public Advocate that offers something more than the same old ideas.”

Twitter founder Jack Dorsey headlined a fund-raiser in April for Ms. Saujani, whose campaign has been bolstered by the South Asian and start-up communities.

Ms. Saujani also traveled to California this week for a pair of fundraisers in Los Angeles and San Francisco. One of the people on the host committee of the San Francisco event is Randi Zuckerberg, the sister of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg.

Correction: Mr. Dorsey headlined a fundraiser for Ms. Saujani, did not donate to her campaign.

Reshma Saujani meeting with ASAAL's Bronx chapter. (Photo: Twitter/ASAAL08)

It's not a surprise, but it's a key part of Reshma Saujani's strategy as she campaigns for public advocate this year.

The Alliance of South Asian-American Labor, a group that's worked to mobilize South Asian voters in past elections, officially threw their support to Ms. Saujani today, vowing to help elect her as the city's first official of South Asian descent.

"The South Asian community is on the rise in New York City, with a population expanding to well over 300,000," the group's press released claimed. "South Asian voter turnout in the 2013 New York City elections is expected to break records thanks to the advocacy and successful voter drives led by organizations like ASAAL."

“Reshma’s story is our story - she came here and worked hard to succeed, and now she’s working to protect that same opportunity for all New Yorkers," Maf Misbah Uddin, ASAAL's president, added in a statement.

Mr. Uddin's thoughts echo an argument made by Himanshu “Heems” Suri, one of the members of the rap group Das Racist, who endorsed Ms. Saujani a month ago because he felt she would help the South Asian community find its political voice. Of course, mobilizing new immigrant communities is easier said than done and South Asians will only be a small slice of the overall citywide electorate, so Ms. Saujani still has her work cut out for her.

She faces a crowded field for the position, including State Senator Dan Squadron, Councilwoman Tish James, professor Cathy Guerriero and civilian NYPD official Sidique Wai.

Reshma Saujani. (Photo: Facebook)

Later this morning, Reshma Saujani will officially launch her public advocate campaign, an ambitious bid for one of two competitive citywide races this year. But as she lays out her agenda, it won't be the same Reshma Saujani politicos remember from her 2010 primary against Upper East Side Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. In that campaign, she embraced her "Pro-Wall Street Democrat" label, but now, Ms. Saujani says she's focused on a whole new slate of issues.

"Oh my God, so much!" she told Politicker when asked if she's learned from her experiences since then, including a stint in the public advocate's office. "Since 2010, I have a record--a progressive record--of accomplishment. There are people in the city who I have helped put on a path of economic prosperity, that are in college because I fought for them. There are people in jobs because I fought for them ... In 2010, that was harder to demonstrate, right? Because I was working as a lawyer in the private sector."

Ms. Saujani, a former hedge fund lawyer, further claimed that her heart was never in finance industry. Rather, she said that career choice was forced by circumstance.

"When I graduated law school, I was almost $200,000 in student loan debt," she explained. "I wanted to work at the N.A.A.C.P. or the A.C.L.U., working on civil rights issues. But when I looked at my loan statement, I didn't have a choice. My family had certain financial commitments that I had to help them keep. And going into the private sector--I never wanted to be the C.E.O. of Morgan Stanley--I always wanted to do what I'm doing today, which is public service."

Today, Ms. Saujani mostly talks about the work she's done since 2010. In our interview, Ms. Saujani often pivoted to topics like women, immigrants and the technology sector, a multi-pronged embodiment of both her own status as the daughter of South Asian political refugees and her non-profit, Girls Who Code, which teaches teenage girls technology skills. Indeed, in her 5-day, 5 borough “Opportunity For All Tour," Ms. Saujani's campaign indicated that she will be talking about immigration in Queens and the Bronx, women-owned small businesses in Staten Island and tech-based businesses in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn. In Manhattan, she'll attend a Wednesday fund-raiser hosted by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey--held exactly 140 days before Election Day.

Jose Antonio Vargas, an immigration activist who wrote a prominent Times article outing himself as undocumented, told Politicker that Ms. Saujani's work on behalf of a New York City-based "DREAM Fellowship," which gives scholarships to undocumented students, should speak for itself.

"As somebody who's been an undocumented person, ... I never thought that DREAM Act would be as mainstream. Everyone now knows what the DREAM Act is, right?" he said. "What's really important to underscore about Reshma is that she's been a leader on this issue, nationally and locally, even before it was a thing. I also think that what makes her perfect for this job."

In order to get that job, however, Ms. Saujani will have to beat back several other candidates vying for the same position. The field includes State Senator Dan Squadron, Councilwoman Tish James and teacher Cathy Guerriero.

One labor leader told Politicker he wasn't sure who he would ultimately endorse, listing the pluses and negatives of the various top-tier contenders.

"Has she changed as a candidate?" he said when he got to Ms. Saujani. "I'm not sure. Has her presentation changed? Absolutely."

(Photo: YouTube)

Himanshu “Heems” Suri, one of the members of the rap group Das Racist, has a preferred candidate to replace Public Advocate Bill de Blasio: Reshma Saujani. Mr. Suri tweeted about his support over the weekend, and writing to Politicker in an email yesterday, Mr. Suri elaborated by arguing that Ms. Saujani's candidacy will help the South Asian community find its political voice.

"She has raised over a million dollars for this race and will be a very well resourced candidate," he explained. "She will be investing more into South Asian turnout than anyone ever has. ... We will probably have the highest South Asian voter turnout ever this year because of her on the ballot and the resources she will be putting in it. This is the most qualified and well resourced candidate from the community ever."

This is not the first time Mr. Suri, who hails from Queens, has involved himself in local politics; he released a mixtape in an attempt to mobilize the South Asian community during the state legislative redistricting process and wrote a letter to Speaker Christine Quinn when the City Council was redrawing their own districts last year. Both times he urged lawmakers to unite South Asian communities in the new maps instead of dividing them.

For her part, Ms. Saujani released a statement touting the support and the historic nature of her candidacy.

"I'm proud to earn the support of New Yorkers like Heems who are stepping up to be a voice for their communities. Running to be the first South Asian elected in New York City is an honor, and the support has been inspiring," she said. "The immigrant dream, the New York dream and the American Dream are one and the same, and as Public Advocate I will work every day to make that dream a reality."

Mr. de Blasio is vacating the public advocate post to run for mayor, and a crowded field is running to replace him, including Ms. Saujani, State Senator Dan Squadron and Councilwoman Tish James.

Councilwoman Tish James (Photo: Facebook)

Councilwoman Tish James, who's currently running for public advocate, will be doing some cable news punditry this weekend. Tomorrow morning, Ms. James will appear on MSNBC's Up With Chris Hayes to discuss her agenda and Mayor Michael Bloomberg's soda ban.

"I’ve been proud to champion progressive causes in the New York City Council, fighting for good jobs, affordable housing, improving our schools and making sure every single New Yorker has a voice in government," Ms. James said in a statement announcing her appearance. "I will never pass up an opportunity to advocate for social and economic justice in our city and beyond."

Ms. James' apparent ability to reach a national media audience may help her make up for the fact that in previous financial filing periods, she has lagged behind her main rivals, Reshma Saujani and State Senator Daniel Squadron, in terms of fundraising. She also secured a union boost this week from 32BJ SEIU's endorsement.

Senator Squadron (Photo: NYS Senate)

State Senator Daniel Squadron announced today that he's raised more than $2 million in his race for public advocate. Mr. Squadron, who's facing three other candidates in a Democratic primary, hauled in a total of $2,150,000 in donations and expected public matching funds. He raised $183,000 in the last two months and has spent only $190,000 overall.

"New York families need a fighter who is ready and able to stand up for them and deliver results," Mr. Squadron said in a statement. "I'm incredibly honored by the support we’ve received from all five boroughs, and I'm excited that our grassroots campaign will have the resources we need to build our effort across the city."

Mr. Squadron is the first public advocate candidate to release information about what's in his war chest. The Campaign Finance Board will announce all filings on March 15. Spokespersons for Councilwoman Tish James and former Deputy Public Advocate Reshma Saujani, Mr. Squadron's main rivals, said they did not have updated fundraising information available. As of this writing, dark horse candidate Cathy Guerriero, a Columbia professor, did not return a request for comment.

The public advocate position is open this year because Bill de Blasio, who currently holds the office, is running for mayor.

It was one of the few sparks in an otherwise genial forum for the five Public Advocate candidates, and it came, not so surprisingly, from Cathy Guerriero. Ms. Guerriero, along with Brooklyn and Manhattan State Sen. Dan Squadron, Brooklyn Councilwoman Tish James, former Deputy Public Advocate Reshma Saujani and education advocate Noah Gotbaum, spoke aggressively at the first forum of the year in the wide open Public Advocate race.

The current Public Advocate, Bill de Blasio, is running for mayor.

“This is a difficult time for the New York City public schools and this is a difficult, hard to swallow conversation about parents and kids. Mayoral control is troubling at best and bad at worst. We need to do more than talk about this or that or minor points, we need to aggressively pursue conversations…” Ms. Guerriero, a Columbia University professor and Staten Island native, said, countering Ms. Saujani’s discussion of the consequences of putting Regents exams online when many students aren’t computer-literate.

In a contest that will tilt to the left of the mayoral race, the candidates fought to distinguish themselves among a thicket of progressive issues, such as ending mayoral control or decentralizing the school system, making housing more affordable and countering the rapid pace of development that has become a staple of the Bloomberg Administration. Ms. James arrived late to the forum hosted in Astoria, Queens by a variety of Democratic club, but she managed to flex her labor credentials when she told the audience her tardiness was due to a meeting she had with fired Cablevision workers. Ms. James was also able to quickly match Ms. Guerriero as a female firebrand, calling the Dept. of City Planning Chair Amanda Burden “Robert Moses in a skirt” and labeling the new Barclays Arena in downtown Brooklyn “a joke.”

“Whether or not you like the New Jerseys Nets and Jay-Z and all of that, the reality is that we really need to deal with the felt needs of the community,” she said. “The most pressing need in this city is not for a basketball arena, believe it or not, it’s for affordable housing. There are fifty thousand individuals going to bed tonight in our shelters. Twenty thousand of them are children.”

Like Ms. Guerrerio, who steeped much of her rhetoric in sports metaphors, Ms. James was blunt, pointing out that she even spoke with the murderer of her predecessor, James Davis, the night before he slayed Mr. Davis in the City Council chambers while discussing her route to public office. Despite the moxie from Ms. James or the measured confidence of Mr. Squadron or Ms. Saujani, all of the candidates had to grapple with a reality uncommon in many other political campaigns: the powers of the public advocate are relatively limited.

Mr. Squadron, the fundraising leader in the race and one of the overall front runners, was the only candidate to address budget cuts to bus and train services, but what the public advocate, an ombudsman of sorts for the mayor who can introduce legislation, can actually do to restore public transportation services or end mayoral control of the school system is less clear.

“It’s a job that’s inside the government, but outside the bureaucracy,” Mr. Squadron said. “In a city like ours, you need a bridge; you need a vehicle to connect communities, individuals, businesses into their government.”

Mr. Squadron spoke often of the “special interests” that dominate the campaign process and has made it known he will not accept donations from corporations or political action committees. For Ms. Saujani, nipping on his heels in the fundraising race, any discussion of corporations is tricky: she is a former hedge fund lawyer who once ran a pro-Wall Street Congressional race. While that campaign was alluded to last night, her past as a hedge fund lawyer was not. Instead, Ms. Saujani focused on her immigrant background, entrepreneurial initiatives like Girls Who Code and what she called a “technology gap” between men and women.

“I have met countless young women, many of them here in Queens, who are trapped by the technology gap,” she said. “With more and more jobs in the computing related field, we are not preparing our children for the 21^st century. We are not preparing our girls for the 21^st century.”

Mr. Gotbaum, the stepson of former Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum (he did not net her endorsement), spoke about his founding of the volunteer group New York Cares and his leadership roles in various public school advocacy bodies, becoming one of two candidates to say the public advocate needs to be "a voice for the voiceless."

"There are not enough independent elected officials standing up and calling out and speaking out on behalf and with those who are not being heard," Mr. Gotbaum said.

(Photo: Getty)

When it comes to replacing outgoing Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand doesn't have a favorite, but that doesn't mean she lacks any political love to share around. Accordingly, Ms. Gillibrand is set to appear at fundraisers for all three of the leading Democratic candidates for the position: Councilwoman Tish James, former congressional candidate Reshma Saujani and State Senator Dan Squadron. The fundraisers for Ms. James and Ms. Saujani had already been rolled out, while Mr. Squadron's campaign announced their own event earlier this afternoon.

"One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown," Mr. Squadron wrote in an email to his supporters. "So I'm excited to invite you to join us for 'Dim Sum for Daniel' on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand....I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!"

Ms. Gillibrand will not be endorsing in this race, however. After Ms. James' event was released, her spokesman explained she has "a number of friends actively considering the race and thinks they each would do a fantastic job as the Public Advocate.”

Other candidates in the race include education activist Noah Gotbaum and professor Catherine Guerriero.

View Mr. Squadron's invite below:

Dear friend,

One of my favorite weekend activities with my wife and 20-month-old son is having dim sum in Chinatown. So I'm excited to invite you to join us for "Dim Sum for Daniel" on Sunday, January 6th – with special guest U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

I am so pleased that Senator Gillibrand has agreed to be part of this event in support of my Public Advocate campaign committee. Senator Gillibrand, a mother of two, has been a champion of New York families. From the food access and product safety that will keep our kids healthy, to the broader education and economic policies that help strengthen our middle class, I'm proud to call her my Senator – especially as a young parent myself.

As I look toward running for Public Advocate, I'm focused on ensuring that every voice is heard in city government and finding ways to organize people to make a difference on the issues and causes they care about. This includes policies that will help people stay in New York and care for their families. Programs I've fought for, like expanded middle class child care and Nurse Family Partnership, will go a long way toward strengthening New York's families.

I hope you will join Senator Gillibrand on January 6th for some dim sum and a fun Sunday afternoon. If you have kids, please bring them along – I’m bringing mine!

Please RSVP here.

Thanks,

Daniel

"You know me. I am a disrupter, a political entrepreneur, someone who not only believes in public-private partnerships but actually knows how to build them," she writes.  "We know that the future of government is action-orientated leadership. People who simply get things done. New voices and new ideas. Leaders who will open up the doors far and wide, so that everyone can be an advocate."

Ms. Saujani first came to prominence during her 2010 campaign for Congress against Carolyn Maloney-- a race she ended up losing by 60 points despite the support of an number of big-ticket donors.  She went on to work in the office of the man she hopes to replace--Bill de Blasio, serving as a deputy public advocate of New York City and the executive director of the Fund for Public Advocacy.

Ms. Saujani's cites that experience in her 2013 pitch:

The less than a year and a half opened my eyes up to what is possible when all of us--the public sector, the private sector, academics, non-profits-- work together as public advocates to affect real change.

In just a year and a half, against the odds, here is what we accomplished:

• We worked everyday through summits and forums to mentor and provide capital to small business owners.

• We built a nationwide charge to combat Citizens United and get money out of politics.

• We brought together hundreds of New Yorkers together to have powerful conversations about the City’s fiscal obligations that have led to innovative policy solutions.

• We conducted the first ever survey of immigrant small business owners and released a report providing detailed recommendations to activate the engine of New York City’s economy, immigrant and minority small business owners.

• When government failed, we initiated and created the Dream Fellowship to help sons and daughters of immigrants access their piece of the American Dream.

If we can create and implement these programs in less than 15 months, just imagine what else is possible. We can’t just stop here. No way. That’s not how New Yorkers roll.

Ms. Saujani however also mentions another key piece of her resume: her support of Barack Obama, whom she hosted a fundraiser for last month. And in her email announcement, she seems to borrow his mantle of hope and change, and trying to turn her campaign into  a movement.

If you are a small business owner, help me build this movement. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, help me build this movement. If you are young person who wants a seat around the decision-making table, help me build this movement.  If you are a senior and you want to increase your grandchild’s potential, help me build this movement. If you are a teacher and you believe that everyone has the right to an excellent education,help me build this movement. If you are a New Yorker and you want to bring about change the New York City way, help me build this movement.

Join me and become an Early Adopter of Reshma For New York.

Ms. Saujani is likely to face off against State Senator Daniel Squadron and City Councilwoman Tish James, who announced her own intention to run at a community meeting at the Forest Hills Civic Association earlier this month.

The full email is below:

We are about to embark on a new challenge.

The past year and half, I have been honored to serve as the Deputy Public Advocate of New York City and the Executive Director of the Fund for Public Advocacy.

I recently decided to leave my position in city government to open a committee, Reshma for New York, to explore a citywide election in 2013.

The less than a year and a half opened my eyes up to what is possible when all of us--the public sector, the private sector, academics, non-profits-- work together as public advocates to affect real change.

In just a year and a half, against the odds, here is what we accomplished:

• We worked everyday through summits and forums to mentor and provide capital to small business owners.

• We built a nationwide charge to combat Citizens United and get money out of politics.

• We brought together hundreds of New Yorkers together to have powerful conversations about the City’s fiscal obligations that have led to innovative policy solutions.

• We conducted the first ever survey of immigrant small business owners and released a report providing detailed recommendations to activate the engine of New York City’s economy, immigrant and minority small business owners.

• When government failed, we initiated and created the Dream Fellowship to help sons and daughters of immigrants access their piece of the American Dream.

If we can create and implement these programs in less than 15 months, just imagine what else is possible. We can’t just stop here. No way. That’s not how New Yorkers roll.

You know me. I am a disrupter, a political entrepreneur, someone who not only believes in public-private partnerships but actually knows how to build them.

We know that the future of government is action-orientated leadership. People who simply get things done. New voices and new ideas. Leaders who will open up the doors far and wide, so that everyone can be an advocate.

If you are a small business owner, help me build this movement. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, help me build this movement. If you are young person who wants a seat around the decision-making table, help me build this movement.  If you are a senior and you want to increase your grandchild’s potential, help me build this movement. If you are a teacher and you believe that everyone has the right to an excellent education,help me build this movement. If you are a New Yorker and you want to bring about change the New York City way, help me build this movement.

Join me and become an Early Adopter of Reshma For New York.

You have encouraged me and been there with me every step of the way. Now lets do something powerful together for New York City in 2013.

Reshma

p.s. Two weeks ago I got to introduce President Obama at an event I hosted for him.  Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BNIancam_g

p.p.s. For an easy way to spread the word on Twitter, click here!

Reshma Saujani
http://reshma.nationbuilder.com/

UPDATE:

Ms. Saujani emails to say that this email was NOT in fact the announcement of a campaign.

"Although I am strongly considering entering the race for Public Advocate in  2013, I want to be clear that I have not declared my candidacy for any  specific office.  Opening my committee -- Reshma for New York -- and  inviting my supporters to become Early Adopters is an exciting step forward, and we’re going to explore how I can best continue making a difference in  New York City"

Reshma Saujani (Photo: Facebook)

Reshma Saujani, a former aide to Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, has formally registered a campaign committee that would allow her to campaign for Mr. de Blasio's own position in 2013. Mr. de Blasio is expected to run for mayor, leaving the citywide position vacant for aspiring politicians.

Although the committee doesn't specify exactly what office she is seeking, it's been widely reported she's most interested in the Public Advocate's Office.

Registering a campaign allows a prospective candidate to raise and spend money, something Ms. Saujani has proven herself quite adept at doing in the past.

Ms. Saujani is most well known for a congressional bid against veteran Upper East Side Rep. Carolyn Maloney. In that campaign, Ms. Saujani raised over a million dollars, which still wasn't enough to avoid defeat by a wide margin.

If Ms. Saujani does formally enter the race for Public Advocate, she will be facing off against Councilwoman Tish James and possibly State Senator Dan Squadron.