NJ Democrats dominate party fundraising, outraising Republicans 5-to-1

Party fundraising is running well above historical averages even with no state offices on the ballot this year.

Democrats collected 83% of the money raised by New Jersey’s six major party committees during the second quarter and ended June with more than three times as much cash as Republicans.

New Jersey Democrats outraised Republicans by roughly 5-to-1 during the second quarter of 2026, building a sizable financial advantage even though no state offices are on the ballot this year.

The six major state party and legislative leadership committees, collectively known as the “Big Six,” raised about $2.45 million during the quarter, according to an analysis of campaign contributions released Monday by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

Democratic committees accounted for about $2.05 million, or 83% of the total, compared with $407,225 raised by the three Republican committees.

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Democrats spent about $1.85 million during the quarter, compared with $278,582 by Republicans, roughly 6.6 times as much.

By the end of June, the three Democratic committees had a combined $2.54 million in cash on hand, more than three times the $798,729 held by Republicans.

The fundraising activity is notable because 2026 is a federal election year with no races for governor or the state Legislature in New Jersey.

ELEC said the committees’ combined $3.34 million in cash reserves at the end of June exceeded the average not only for federal-election years, but also the historical midyear average for years when state offices are on the ballot.

The activity also comes after what ELEC described as the most expensive gubernatorial election in state history.

Democrats hold the financial advantage

The Democratic advantage is spread across the party’s state and legislative committees, but one committee in particular has amassed a large reserve.

The Senate Democratic Majority ended June with nearly $1.6 million in cash, almost twice as much as all three Republican Big Six committees combined.

Here’s where the six committees stood at the end of the quarter:

• Senate Democratic Majority: $1.59 million
• New Jersey Democratic State Committee: $603,558
• Senate Republican Majority: $572,129
• Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee: $342,994
• Assembly Republican Victory: $158,257
• New Jersey Republican State Committee: $68,343

The Democratic State Committee had almost nine times as much cash as the Republican State Committee at the end of June.

Republican legislative committees were in a somewhat stronger position. The Senate Republican Majority’s $572,129 reserve, for example, was close to the amount held by the Democratic State Committee.

Fundraising accelerated sharply

The second-quarter numbers show a significant increase in political fundraising.

The Big Six raised about $958,000 during the first quarter, compared with $2.45 million during the second, an increase of roughly 156%.

Spending rose from approximately $978,000 in the first quarter to $2.13 million in the second, an increase of about 117%.

Most of the increase in fundraising came on the Democratic side.

Democratic committees raised roughly $1.32 million more in the second quarter than they did in the first, accounting for about 89% of the increase in Big Six fundraising.

A closer look at the state parties

The financial difference becomes even more pronounced when looking specifically at the New Jersey Democratic and Republican state committees.

For the first six months of the year, the Democratic State Committee reported $1.18 million in total receipts, compared with $145,866 for the Republican State Committee.

The Democratic State Committee reported $1.14 million in gross itemized monetary contributions during the first half of the year. Based on a Vindicator analysis of the contributors listed in ELEC filings:

• Labor and union PACs supplied about $543,500, or 48%, of gross itemized contributions.
• Democratic and candidate committees supplied about $391,300, or 34%.
• Individuals contributed about $137,900, or 12%.
• Advocacy and nonprofit organizations accounted for approximately $39,000, or 3%.
• Businesses and industry organizations supplied about $28,000, or 2%.

Together, labor organizations and other Democratic political committees accounted for about 82% of the Democratic State Committee’s gross itemized contributions.

Those categories are based on The Jersey Vindicator’s classification of contributors identified in ELEC filings, not classifications made by ELEC.

Where Democratic money came from

Some of the largest sources of money given to the Democratic State Committee during the first six months included:

• Bergen County Democratic Committee: $130,000
• Greater New Jersey Carpenters PEC: $118,500
• Somerset County Democratic Committee: $80,000
• New Jersey State Association of Pipe Trades PAC: $79,000
• Thomas Sullivan for Commissioner: $79,000

The filings also show contributions from businesses, advocacy organizations and individuals.

John Zeiler, identified in the filing as working for Hudson Housing Capital, contributed $35,000. Great Schools for All Inc. gave $25,000, while the New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers PAC and Our Healthy NJ Inc. each contributed $10,000. Philip Morris USA contributed $5,000.

A different GOP donor base

The Republican State Committee reported about $131,000 in itemized contributions through June, less than one-eighth of the Democratic committee’s gross itemized total.

The Vindicator’s analysis found the Republican money was distributed more evenly among several types of contributors:

• Republican and candidate committees: about $64,937, or 50%
• Businesses and industry: about $24,667, or 19%
• Individuals: about $23,878, or 18%
• Labor and union PACs: $17,500, or 13%

The Republican State Committee’s largest itemized contributor was IBEW Local Union 400, at $10,000.

The Republican committee also spent relatively little directly from its state account. Of the $108,619 in expenditures reported through June, $102,000 consisted of allocable-fund transfers to the NJGOP’s federal account.

Money moves through Democratic state party

In the first quarter, three Bergen County political committees contributed almost exactly $244,000 to the state party:

• Bergen County Democratic Committee: $130,000
• Thomas Sullivan for Commissioner: $79,000
• Mary Amoroso for Commissioner: $35,000

On April 23, the Democratic State Committee reported paying $243,304.93 to Silver Strategies & Communications Group for direct mail benefiting a Bergen County slate identified in the filing as “BC Victory 2025: Bergen County (Sullivan Amoroso & Ortiz).”

New Brunswick Democrats 2026 contributed a combined $39,300 to the state committee during the second quarter. The state party reported six direct-mail expenditures benefiting New Brunswick Democrats 2026 totaling $39,238.81.

The filings illustrate the role the state committee can play in spending on behalf of local Democratic campaigns.

The Democratic State Committee also reported giving $51,950 to the Essex County Democratic Committee during the first half of the year and $185,000 to a committee identified as “Inaugural 2026.”

A head start on 2027

The Big Six numbers show New Jersey’s political fundraising machinery is already ramping up well before the next state legislative elections.

The money could take on added importance in future elections as New Jersey’s political landscape changes. The traditional county-line primary ballot, which gave party-endorsed candidates preferential placement in most counties and was widely viewed as providing them with a significant advantage, is dead. Party-backed candidates are spending more money introducing themselves to voters and distinguishing themselves from primary opponents.

At the same time, New Jersey made it substantially easier for political parties to raise money in 2023.

The so-called Elections Transparency Act increased contribution limits. The annual limit for contributions to state political parties jumped from $25,000 to $75,000, while the limit for legislative leadership committees tripled to $75,000. The limits are adjusted for inflation and have since risen to $79,000 for 2026.

The law also created housekeeping accounts for state and county parties and loosened restrictions on contributions from public contractors. ELEC has previously issued a report about how the 2023 changes contributed to increased fundraising.