Two Southern New Jersey legislative districts remain the focal points for spending in this year’s legislative elections, according to the latest reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Jeff Brindle, ELEC’s Executive Director, said the most contested legislative districts typically are magnets for spending since incumbents in most other districts face little risk of defeat. “If you follow the money, most of it invariably ends up in so-called battleground districts,” said Brindle.

“This year, both the Second Legislative District (Atlantic County) and the Eighth Legislative District (parts of Atlantic, Burlington and Camden Counties) each have drawn more than $6.6 million in spending. Both races already rank among the top ten most expensive legislative races in New Jersey history,” he said.

“The two districts alone have drawn $13.3 million in spending- nearly four of every ten dollars sunk into this year’s general election,” said Brindle. “One quarter of all candidate spending, and 66 percent of spending by independent committees, has occurred in these two districts alone.”

Table 1

Top Ten Legislative Districts by Spending

The Eighth Legislative District race already has toppled a previous high of $4.4 million inflation adjusted in 2007. The Second Legislative District race ranks second all-time for the district and could surpass the record

$7.1 million cost in 2011. “Never before have two legislative races topped $6 million in one election,” Brindle said.

Table 2

Top Ten Costliest Legislative Races in New Jersey History Ranked by Inflation-Adjusted Totals

*Believed to be the most expensive state legislative election in US history.

After the most expensive legislative election in New Jersey history in 2017, independent spending took a huge dip in 2019. However, the $14.8 million spent so far already is the third most independent spending in a legislative general election since 2007.

Table 3

Spending by Independent Special Interest Committees in New Jersey Legislative Elections

American Democratic Majority, a federal 527 political organization run by South Jersey Democrats, so far is the biggest spender in the election. It has expended nearly $4.5 million just in the general election. Most of its spending ($3.7 million) has gone to the Eighth Legislative District.

Garden State Forward, a federal 527 political organization run by the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest union, has spent $3.6 million so far in the general election. Most of its funds ($3.5 million) have been funneled into the Second Legislative District.

Table 4

Cumulative Spending to Date by Independent Committees on 2021 Legislative Elections

*Contributions to American Democratic Majority.

Democrats, who hold majorities in both legislative houses, continue to dominate in fund-raising, spending and cash-on-hand.

Table 5

Breakdown of Legislative Campaign Finance Activity by Party through October 19, 2021

RSLC has also directly donated $164,000 to Republican candidates for primary and general elections in 2021. As a 527 political organization, it cannot donate to federal candidates. It can contribute to state candidates along with engaging in independent spending.

Incumbents also hold a heavy advantage over challengers. They have raised three times more money, spent 1.6 times more, and have 11 times more cash in reserve.

Table 6

Breakdown of Spending by Incumbents and Challengers through October 19, 2021

Candidate totals in this analysis are based on 11-day pre-election day reports that reflect campaign finance activity through October 19, 2021. Independent spending totals are based on reports filed as recently as October 27, 2021.

Reports filed by legislative candidates and independent spenders are available online on ELEC’s website at www.elec.nj.gov. A downloadable summary of data from candidate reports is available in both spreadsheet and PDF formats at www.elec.nj.gov/publicinformation/statistics.htm.