After shelling out $17 million on the 2021 elections, the so-called “Big Six” fund-raising committees
ended the first quarter of 2022 with a combined $1.3 million in cash reserves, according to quarterly reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

“The two state party committees and four legislative leadership committees are regrouping after last
year’s election and their current cash reserves are hardly eye-popping,’’ said Jeff Brindle, ELEC’s Executive Director. “However, among the seven years without state elections since 2010, the cash-on-hand total is the second largest for a first quarter since the nearly $1.5 million total that same year.”

Brindle further noted that the $1.4 million raised during the quarter was the second largest during a year
without state elections, topped only by the $1.9 million raised in 2018.

One reason fund-raising was considerably higher in 2018 was because the Democratic State Committee
funded Governor Phil Murphy’s first inaugural. The state party raised and spent $990,000 for the event, which occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on such large celebrations.

While Murphy won reelection last November, inaugural activities in 2022 were more subdued,
presumably due to the virus threat, and also less costly. The Democratic State Committee raised just $127,943 for them.

One reason fund-raising was considerably higher in 2018 was because the Democratic State Committee
funded Governor Phil Murphy’s first inaugural. The state party raised and spent $990,000 for the event, which occurred before the COVID-19 pandemic put a damper on such large celebrations.

While Murphy won reelection last November, inaugural activities in 2022 were more subdued,
presumably due to the virus threat, and also less costly. The Democratic State Committee raised just $127,943 for them.