TRENTON — Democrats have a two-to-one cash advantage over Republicans with four months to go before all 120 seats in the Legislature are up for election. As of June 27, Democratic legislative candidates had $8.95 million sitting in their campaign accounts, while Republicans had $4.22 million, according to a report released this afternoon by the Election Law Enforcement Commission....
State Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), in this 2010 Star-Ledger file photo, has raised the most money, with $1.13 million, with 4 months to go until elections.TRENTON — Democrats have a two-to-one cash advantage over Republicans with four months to go before all 120 seats in the Legislature are up for election.
As of June 27, Democratic legislative candidates had $8.95 million sitting in their campaign accounts, while Republicans had $4.22 million, according to a report released this afternoon by the Election Law Enforcement Commission.
The election is on November 8.
“Now the real battle begins,’’ said commission Executive Director Jeffrey Brindle in a prepared statement. “This is the first time in four years that all 120 seats are up for reelection. The stakes are high this fall. Control of the Legislature and the policy agenda are in play this November.”
Democrats are favored to retain control of the Legislature because they prevailed over Republicans in the once-in-a-decade process to redraw the state’s legislative districts. But Republicans are still hoping to cut down the size of the Democrats’ majority by targeting some close districts.
The vast majority of the money — $11.59 million out of $13.18 million in total — was raised by incumbents.
And of the 10 members with the largest campaign war chests, seven are Democrats. The top Republican is state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth), who has $405,841 in the bank.
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