County party committees are headed into the fall campaign season with the second largest mid-year cash
reserves since 2003, according to an analysis of reports filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

County party committees combined had $3.9 million in the bank as of June 30, 2022. It is the largest cash-on-hand total at the six-month mark since 2003, when the reserves adjusted for inflation were worth $4.2 million in today’s dollars.

Table 1
Buying Power of Cash Reserves of County Party Committees
Year Then Now
2003 $2,638,558 $4,249,097
2022 $3,918,418 $3,918,418
2019 $3,251,147 $3,768,137
2001 $2,055,314 $3,440,747
2017 $2,768,884 $3,347,139

Democratic cash reserves are five times larger than Republican savings- $3.3 million versus $626,766.
Democrats have twice the cash they did two years ago. Republicans have about one-third more than they did at this point in 2020.

Table 2
Cash Reserves of County Party Committees By Party Through June 30
Year Democrats Republicans Combined
2022 $3,291,622 $626,766 $3,918,388
2021 $2,483,366 $574,077 $3,057,443
2020 $1,609,362 $494,060 $2,103,423

Jeff Brindle, ELEC’s Executive Director, said Democrats have benefited from a bigger infusion of funds
during the past 15 months from groups based in the nation’s capitol1 along with checks from members of
Congress.

“Cash reserves are one measure of political clout. To the extent that Democrats have amassed bigger
reserves, they are in a stronger financial position headed into the fall elections though issues also will play an important role,” Brindle said.

County parties will be supporting candidates in 12 Congressional races this year plus scores of local races
throughout the state. There are no legislative or gubernatorial elections in 2022.

With all 12 House of Representative seats up for grabs this year, members of Congress, including House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have donated more than $500,000 to county committees during the past 15 months.

Table 3
Contributions to County Party Committees By Congressional Candidates
Candidate 2021 2022 Grand Total

Democratic Total $354,450 $48,850 $403,300

Nancy Pelosi For Congress $259,000 $259,000
Pascrell For Congress $ 47,000 $37,000 $ 84,000
Pallone For Congress $ 26,000 $ 26,000
Mikie Sherrill For Congress $ 9,750 $10,350 $ 20,100
Donald M Payne Jr For Congress $ 6,500 $ 6,500
Tom Malinowski For Congress $ 6,200 $ 6,200
Menendez For Congress $ 1,500 $ 1,500

Republican Total $ 82,250 $38,003 $120,253

Van Drew For Congress $ 47,000 $10,000 $ 57,000
Lobiondo For Congress $ 25,000 $ 25,000
Kean For Congress $ 6,500 $14,000 $ 20,500
Nick Degregorio For Congress $ 5,500 $ 5,500
Lance For Congress $ 1,150 $ 2,500 $ 3,650
Kovic For Congress $ 3,000 $ 3,000
Pallotta For Congress $ 2,500 $ 2,500
Billy Prempeh For Congress Committee Inc $ 2,000 $ 2,000
Phil Rizzo For Congress $ 600 $ 600
Dorlon For Congress $ 403 $ 403
Webber For Congress Primary Account $ 100 $ 100
Both Parties Total $436,700 $86,853 $523,553

Through June 30, Democrats have raised and spent more than Republicans and reported larger cash
reserves.

Table 4
Mid-Year Snapshot of Campaign Finance Activity by County PartiesParty Raised Spent Cash On Hand Net Worth

Democrats $1,744,064 $1,999,141 $3,291,652 $3,187,251
Republicans $1,248,999 $1,183,531 $ 626,766 $1,108,542
Combined $2,993,063 $3,182,672 $3,918,418 $4,295,793

Nine Democratic county party committees- Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer,
Passaic, Somerset, and Union – reported a cash reserve above $100,000. Hudson County Democrats have a negative net worth when debts they owe are subtracted from their cash-on-hand.

Table 5
Campaign Finance Activity of Democratic County Party Committees
January 1 through June 30, 2022
County Raised Spent Cash-On-Hand Net Worth*

Atlantic $ 24,429 $ 26,341 $ 4,539 $ 2,073
Bergen $ 412,656 $ 199,710 $ 359,187 $ 359,187
Burlington $ 99,383 $ 23,723 $ 173,829 $ 167,454
Camden $ 174,725 $ 231,018 $ 280,969 $ 280,969
Cape May $ 10,941 $ 955 $ 11,041 $ 11,041
Cumberland $ 32,065 $ 12,801 $ 22,387 $ 22,387
Essex $ 217,913 $ 223,989 $ 349,598 $ 349,598
Gloucester $ 58,232 $ 95,716 $ 214,798 $ 211,858
Hudson $ 10,621 $ 128,885 $ 8,370 $ (100,404)
Hunterdon $ 46,370 $ 39,601 $ 58,857 $ 58,857
Mercer $ 55 $ 46,000 $ 384,392 $ 384,392
Middlesex $ 121,040 $ 287,508 $ 15,592 $ 15,592
Monmouth $ 52,830 $ 87,955 $ 37,108 $ 37,108
Morris $ 70,440 $ 51,641 $ 28,967 $ 28,966
Ocean $ 14,114 $ 101,885 $ 7,658 $ 23,825
Passaic $ 175,306 $ 149,429 $ 625,374 $ 625,374
Salem $ 140 $ 12,623 $ 76,716 $ 75,918
Somerset $ 87,361 $ 60,920 $ 161,954 $ 160,543
Sussex $ 4,513 $ 12,869 $ 10,875 $ 10,875
Union $ 128,484 $ 194,022 $ 444,983 $ 444,983
Warren $ 2,447 $ 11,549 $ 14,457 $ 16,654
Democrats-Total $1,744,064 $1,999,141 $3,291,652 $3,187,251 *Net worth is cash-on-hand adjusted for debts owed to or by the committee.

Cape May reported a cash reserve larger than $100,000. Bergen and Morris Counties reported a negative net worth when debts they owe are subtracted from their cash-on-hand.

Table 6
Campaign Finance Activity of Republican County Party Committees
January 1 through June 30, 2022
County Raised Spent Cash-On-Hand Net Worth*
Atlantic $ 15,502 $ 33,691 $ 13,648 $ 13,648
Bergen $ 113,422 $ 112,466 $ 3,889 $ (6,111)
Burlington $ 18,972 $ 50,571 $ 9,121 $ 515,984
Camden $ 8,397 $ 9,412 $ 28 $ 28
Cape May $ 116,693 $ 68,000 $180,281 $ 180,281
Cumberland $ 76,810 $ 14,385 $ 64,291 $ 64,291
Essex $- $ 1,085 $ 16,894 $ 16,894
Gloucester $ 89,307 $ 83,497 $ 21,471 $ 21,471
Hudson NA NA NA NA
Hunterdon $ 53,499 $ 52,911 $ 21,140 $ 21,140
Mercer $ 2,725 $ 1,610 $ 2,685 $ 2,684
Middlesex $ 23,783 $ 9,677 $ 22,113 $ 22,028
Monmouth $ 291,751 $ 303,416 $ 37,670 $ 37,670
Morris $ 109,169 $ 105,987 $ 8,054 $ (6,946)
Ocean $ 40,415 $ 30,527 $ 29,274 $ 29,274
Passaic $ 189,825 $ 185,926 $ 28,955 $ 28,955
Salem $ 10,915 $ 7,908 $ 27,286 $ 27,286
Somerset NA NA NA NA
Sussex $ 2,758 $ 21,597 $ 75,655 $ 75,655
Union $ 21,440 $ 30,808 $ 47,159 $ 47,159
Warren $ 63,617 $ 60,057 $ 17,151 $ 17,151
Republicans-Total $1,248,999 $1,183,531 $626,766 $1,108,542
*Net worth is cash-on-hand adjusted for debts owed to or by the committee.
NA=Not available.

The numbers in this analysis are based on reports filed by noon July 29, 2022. They have yet to be verified by ELEC staff, and should be considered preliminary.

Individual reports can be reviewed on ELEC’s website (www.elec.state.nj.us).