Outside spending on N.J. campaigns goes through the roof
Hazel Darceiin, 62, of East Orange, left, claps hands with Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Senator Barbara Buono as she visits residents of Arlington House in East Orange on Monday. Buono has benefitted from millions of dollars in spending from a political group connected to the NJEA. Tuesday October, 29, 2013 (Patti Sapone/The Star-Ledger) (Star-Ledger file photo)
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on October 31, 2013 at 10:41 AM, updated October 31, 2013 at 3:34 PM
TRENTON — Having already hit record levels of spending on New Jersey elections early this month, so-called “independent expenditure” groups are now pumping "mind-boggling amounts" of money into races as candidates for governor and state Legislature hit the home stretch towards Election Day, according to an analysis by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Outside groups spent about $38 million as of yesterday to help or hurt candidates for governor and the Legislature, and to promote or oppose a ballot question to raise the minimum wage, according to an analysis by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.
“Independent special interest groups have spent more than $35.4 million already on gubernatorial and legislative elections plus another $2.3 million to promote or oppose public ballot questions,’’ Brindle said in a statement. "This mind-boggling total of nearly $38 million, unprecedented in state history, is more than twice the previous record $14.9 million spent independently on elections in 2009."
The previous record was $14.9 million in 2009. Back then, such groups accounted for 16 percent of all election spending. Now, they make up 35 percent.
“It’s a whole new world in New Jersey politics,” Brindle said.
This year’s election in New Jersey ranks sixth in state elections with the biggest amount of outside spending. The biggest ever was in California – a state with four times New Jersey’s population -- where groups in 2010 spent almost $86 million
“We already are in the top ten state races of all time, and the election still isn’t over,” said Brindle
The biggest spender of all the groups is Garden State Forward, a political non-profit group that is funded by the NJEA. They’ve spent just shy of $12 million to help Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono and candidates for the Legislature.
The Committee for Our Children’s Future is the next biggest spender, at $7.8 million. Though no longer active, the committee – which never publicly disclosed its donors – exclusively promoted Republican Gov. Chris Christie and his education policies in 2012.
Third is the Fund for Jobs, Growth and Security, a Washington DC-based super PAC run by operatives with ties to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The group – which has had fundraising help by George Norcross, the most powerful Democratic power broker in the state – has spent $7.6 million to protect Democratic majorities in the state Senate and Assembly.
One New Jersey, a pro-Buono and pro-Democratic group that does not disclose its donors, spent $2.8 million but has not been active in recent months.
The influx of special interest spending was brought about by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which said corporations and unions should be able to spend unlimited sums to influence elections.
In terms of traditional campaign spending, Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s (D-Gloucester) district has been the most expensive in the state. Sweeney and his running mates are trying to fight off a challenge led by Republican attorney Niki Trunk. In all, candidates in the South Jersey district have raised $3.7 million and spent $3.1 million.
The runner up is North Jersey’s District 38, where state Sen. Robert Gordon (D-Bergen) faces a challenge from Republican attorney Fernando Alonso. State Senate and Assembly candidates in that district have raised $3 million and spent $2.8 million.
Central Jersey’s 14th District, where state Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) is running against former Republican state Sen. Peter Inverso, is another big battleground. Spending there is just shy of $2.5 million.
In the governor’s race – in which both candidates are accepting matching funds from the state – Republican Gov. Chris Chrisite continues to dominate Democratic challenger Barbara Buono.
Christie has raised the maximum $13.2 million and spent $9.2 million, while Buono has raised $2.8 million and spent $2.5 million. As of last week, Christie still had more than $4 million cash in the bank compared to Buono’s $277,000.
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