09-04-2025
Donor interest swells in New Jersey governor's race
The number of contributions to gubernatorial candidates in the state's public financing program has nearly quadrupled since 2021. (Illustration by Alex Cochran for New Jersey Monitor)
Donor interest in New Jersey's gubernatorial election catapulted upward along with the number of candidates, state election law officials said Tuesday.
Aurea Vazquez-Alexander, compliance director for the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, said during a commission meeting that the number of contributions to gubernatorial candidates participating in the state's public financing program increased by 374% compared to 2021, the last time New Jersey held a governor's race.
'There has been a significant increase in contribution volume and review complexity from 2021 versus 2025,' she said.
One of the commission's tasks is to review donations to gubernatorial candidates to make sure they comply with public financing rules. The spike in donations means the eight candidates receiving public financing this year have submitted more than 38,000 contributions for the commission's review, up from just over 7,900 four years ago.
Vazquez-Alexander added that the steep rise in contributions was not solely the result of a larger candidate pool.
'In 2021, the highest contribution count for any single candidate was 5,968 contributions. In 2025, a single candidate received over 13,000 contributions — more than the entire 2021 total,' she said without naming the candidate.
Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, cannot seek reelection in the fall. Among the six Democrats vying in the June 10 primary to succeed him, Rep. Mikie Sherrill has received the most in matching funds, $5.1 million through April 3. In the five-man Republican primary, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli is the first candidate to max out his $5.5 million in primary matching funds.
Candidates are due to disclose their fundraising for the first quarter of 2025 by April 15.
Five Democrats — Sherrill, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, and former state Sen. Steve Sweeney — have qualified for matching funds. Three Republicans — Ciattarelli, state Sen. Jon Bramnick, and former radio host Bill Spadea — are receiving matching public dollars.
In all, 11 gubernatorial candidates will be on the June 10 primary ballot. Sean Spiller, a Democrat and president of statewide teachers union the New Jersey Education Association, and Republicans Justin Barbera and Mario Kranjac did not qualify for matching funds by the March 24 deadline. Candidates must raise and spend $580,000 to be eligible for matching funds from the state.
The number of candidates running for governor this year is far from record-setting, said Joe Donohue, the commission's deputy director. Donohue noted 22 candidates ran for the governorship in 1981, the first year New Jersey candidates for governor could receive matching funds. Sixteen candidates received public financing that year.
Still, it's been 35 years since eight candidates received public financing, he said.
'In terms of the year with a lot of candidates, it's in the top five, definitely' Donohue said of 2025.
The public financing program offers candidates who meet fundraising and spending thresholds a 2-to-1 match in exchange for an agreement to observe spending and fundraising caps set by the commission.
This year, they must agree to spend no more than $8.7 million on the primary, or $18.5 million in the general election. As of April 3, the program has dispensed more than $29.6 million.
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