D.C.’s new public campaign-financing program is currently in its first election year, and it has already seen about a dozen candidates qualify for more than $1 million in city funding. And on Wednesday, the campaign of one of those candidates announced that it was the first ever to reach a maximum contribution match for the program, called “Fair Elections,” thanks to a bevy of support from small-dollar donors.

Janeese Lewis George, a former District government attorney who’s running in the Ward 4 D.C. Council race against incumbent Brandon Todd, has met the maximum match for a council candidate, according to her campaign. George’s team says she’s now entitled to $241,055 in total matching public funds, based on receiving roughly $48,300 in contributions from almost 1,200 D.C. residents.

Those funds are awarded at a 5-1 match. Additionally, George has already received $20,000 in start-up funds through the program. Once she officially makes it onto the June 2 primary ballot, as she’s expected to do in the coming weeks, she would also receive another $20,000 in ballot-access funds.

Both George and Todd are Democrats, and in deeply blue D.C., Democratic primary winners typically become general-election winners. Among several other council races this year, the Ward 4 competition in part stands out for the overall amount of money it’s attracted and its clear head-to-head face-off between a political newcomer and an incumbent backed by a machine that includes Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“With less than 80 days to go until Primary Day we’re now in new territory in terms of fundraising,” Zach Teutsch, George’s campaign chair, said in a statement Wednesday. “We’re still up against an incumbent who’s cultivating big checks from corporations and wealthy insiders. The Fair Elections system has allowed us to stay competitive while remaining focused on working families.”

In all, George’s campaign says she’s set to have raised over $337,000 since launching last August. That still leaves her behind Todd, whose latest available campaign report said he had brought in $453,000 total as of March 10, with $367,000 in cash on hand. But her campaign’s figures represent an early success of the public financing program, which D.C. lawmakers approved in 2018 to boost the chances of first-time candidates like George while simultaneously reducing the influence of corporate money in local politics.

The program bars contributions from businesses and traditional PACs, allowing small donations from individuals. In ward-level races, the limit for contributions is $50 per person. A dozen candidates were certified for Fair Elections as of last week, with others registered but not yet certified, according to the District’s campaign finance office. Todd, the incumbent, is raising money under traditional rules that include higher contribution limits and permit corporate donations.

A spokesperson for the campaign finance office declined to comment on George’s announcement other than to say officials would review all campaigns’ reports as required, and that campaigns which meet the maximums for matching funds would receive a formal notification about having done so. The $241,055 maximum amount for council races is based on a formula contained in the 2018 law: It’s equal to 110 percent of “the average expenditures of all winning candidates for the [particular] office sought” in the previous two election cycles, or the previous four election cycles for mayoral and attorney general races. These matching maximums vary by the office sought; for at-large council seats, the current maximum match is $308,639.

The next deadline for Fair Elections campaign finance reports is March 30, although it’s optional.

A spokesperson for George’s campaign says the campaign plans to file a report at that time. As for campaigning in the days ahead—amid the growing coronavirus outbreak—the spokesperson explains that the team has temporarily suspended door-knocking and in-person canvassing to help prevent the disease from spreading, but still intends to fundraise online.