Mr. Cuomo won the Bronx, where the poverty rate hovers just below 30 percent, by an 82 percent margin. And with his backing, Ms. James, New York City’s public advocate, beat Ms. Teachout, the law professor who has built her political identity on an enmity toward moneyed interests, in the race for attorney general. This summer, it appeared as if it would be problematic for Ms. James that she had said she would “not be known as the ‘Sheriff on Wall Street.’” In the end, it was not.

Money still matters. Small donors can only love you so much.

Several novice candidates won their primaries despite distinct fund-raising disadvantages, starting with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in the June congressional contest. In statewide primaries, it clearly helped to have money.

Mr. Cuomo outspent Ms. Nixon 10 to one, with lots of chunky donations coming from rich people. He had plenty of money to put toward ads that benefited his own campaign and Ms. James’s. Big races need big dollars.