Spending on this year’s legislative races has topped $18 million across the state, but a large share of the spending is occurring in just two districts in South Jersey.
According to the latest campaign-finance reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, more than $3 million has been spent so far in the 2nd District in Atlantic County.
The 2nd is known for having split representation and is considered one of the state’s only truly competitive districts.
Another nearly $3 million has been spent in the 8th District, which spans portions of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties, and is another hotly contested district this campaign season.
Across the other 38 districts that make up New Jersey’s legislative map, a total of $12.6 million has been spent by candidates and outside committees, for a statewide sum of $18.7 million in spending, according to the commission.
Outside groups, big spenders
Meanwhile, in both the 2nd and the 8th districts, the spending by the candidates themselves has accounted for only a portion of the overall outlay. Significant spending by outside groups has also boosted the totals by millions in the South Jersey districts, according to the commission.
“Independent spending committees, which are supposed to operate separate from candidates and parties, have become a major force in New Jersey elections,” said Jeff Brindle, the commission’s executive director.
“They typically target the most competitive districts, and spending so far bears this out,” he said.
This year, all 120 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs, and Gov. Phil Murphy, a first-term Democrat, is also seeking reelection at the top of the ticket.
Earlier this month, reports submitted to the commission by Murphy, Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli and independent committees indicated nearly $30 million had been spent up to that point in the general election gubernatorial contest.
Ciattarelli outspending Murphy — for now
Among the candidates, Ciattarelli was leading the way with nearly $9 million in total spending, compared with Murphy’s $5.7 million. But Murphy had more money on hand at the time than Ciattarelli — $7.3 million for Murphy compared to $1.2 million for Ciattarelli, according to the commission.
Both candidates have also received public campaign funding under New Jersey’s Gubernatorial Public Financing Program, which dates to the 1970s.
Meanwhile, outside groups had spent another $13 million on the gubernatorial contest during the general election as of earlier this month, according to the commission.
In the 2nd District, Democratic Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo is seeking a promotion to the Senate after serving in the Assembly since 2014. Opposing Mazzeo is former Republican Assemblyman Vince Polistina.
Further down the ballot, incumbent Assemblyman John Armato and Atlantic County Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick are the Democratic Assembly candidates and former Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian and attorney Claire Swift make up the Republican Assembly ticket.
The district’s Senate seat is currently vacant due to the resignation earlier this year of former Republican Sen. Chris Brown.
2nd District No. 1 in spending
Total spending in the 2nd District has reached nearly $3.3 million, according to the commission, making it the most expensive legislative contest in the state so far. About $1.2 million has been spent by the candidates and outside groups have pitched in a little more than $2 million, according to the commission.
Not far behind the spending totals for the 2nd District are those tallied by the commission for the 8th, where candidates have spent $1.5 million and outside groups have pitched in another $1.3 million.
In the 8th District’s Senate contest, incumbent Democrat Dawn Marie Addiego is facing a challenge from Republican Assemblywoman Jean Stanfield. For the Assembly race, the Republican candidates are Hammonton Councilman Michael Torrissi Jr. and Lumberton Township Administrator Brandon Umba. The Democratic Assembly slate is Mark Natale, an attorney who was unsuccessful in an Assembly bid in 2019, and Allison Eckel, a marketing specialist.
The 8th District saw the most spending over the past week thanks to $1.2 million shelled out by the American Democratic Majority, a political organization that the commission indicated is affiliated with the South Jersey Democrats.
Meanwhile, Garden State Forward, a political action committee affiliated with the powerful union for public school teachers, the New Jersey Education Association, has spent $1.8 million so far in the 2nd District, according to the commission.
The teachers’ association PAC has endorsed the Democratic slate in the 2nd District this year. It has also endorsed Murphy for a second term and earlier this month was leading the way in spending among the outside groups in the gubernatorial election, according to the commission. The Democratic Governors Association and the Republican Governors Association are among the other outside groups that spent money on New Jersey’s gubernatorial general election contest, according to the commission.
Over the past two decades, the 2nd District has been the state’s most expensive legislative contest a total of three times, according to the commission. It has ranked in the top five a total of six times.
The 8th District has never been the state’s most expensive legislative contest, but it has ranked among the top five two times, according to the commission.
The Senate is currently controlled by Democrats, with a 25-14 advantage. Democrats also currently control the Assembly, by a 52 to 28 margin.
