When it comes to numbers, it’s how you interpret them that counts. The same can be said about politics.

The latest financial filing from the Morris County Republican Committee is a case in point.

It shows that the committee has a little less than $14,000 in cash on hand.

“Not good,” is how one GOP insider put it.

Ronald DeFilippis, the committee’s finance chair, disagrees – strongly. He says recent history is important, noting that when he took over as finance chair last summer, the committee only had $6,000 in the bank.

So, one need not have a doctorate in math to see that $14,000 is more than twice as much as $6,000.  Which is precisely DeFilippis’ point.

In normal times, this dispute wouldn’t amount to all that much. After all, the general election is more than six months away. 

But times are not normal for Morris Republicans, long the dominant political party in one of the state’s most affluent and desirable counties in which to live.

DeFilippis is seeking the party chairmanship this June against Robert Zwigard in a race that already has turned acrimonious.

Here was Zwigard’s reaction to the GOP committee’s latest report:

“After weeks of hearing the current Morris GOP leaders touting their fundraising success, it is incredible disappointing to learn the truth – our county party organization is virtually broke. It’s just the latest sign that we need new, honest transparent leadership to revitalize our once great party.”

DeFilippis countered that his critics are “lying through their teeth.”

He said that since he became finance chair, the party has had three successful fundraisers. He said an outing at Yankee Stadium last year netted the committee more than $14,000 in profit. Another $7,000 was raised at a private fundraiser.

The largest fundraiser of the three was a February event at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster featuring Fox-TV personality Greg Gutfeld, which DeFilippis said raised almost $30,000. He said his detractors may have missed the information if they only looked at the most recent filing, which covers the first three months of the year. DeFilippis said nine corporate sponsors of the Gutfeld event donated near the end of 2017.

Still, finances for the Morris GOP are not in great shape. Both DeFilippis and state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio, R-Dist. 26, each donated $10,000 to the committee over the last few months. Pennacchio has been paid back; DeFilippis has not.

With the fall campaign upcoming, DeFilippis says the committee is solvent and ready to raise money going forward.

He said it’s unfortunate that those who want to run the Morris County Republican Committee continue to criticize it “every step of the way.”