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Murphy Has Big Fundraising Edge On Guadagno

Sign in front of governor's office

Democrat Phil Murphy has raised more than three times as much as Republican Kim Guadagno in New Jersey’s race for governor.

Murphy collected $10.3 million while Guadagno raised $3 million.

Murphy still has $5.4 million left in his campaign coffers, Guadagno less than a million.

Fairleigh Dickinson political science professor Peter Woolley says there’s a simple reason for the big fundraising disparity.

“The difference in money between the Democratic nominee and the Republican nominee really reflects the difference in expectations. She doesn’t have as money as Murphy because not as many people think she can possibly win.”

Governor Christie says he raised more than $2 million for the Republican Governors Association and that’ll help fund ads for Guadagno.

Rider University political science professor Ben Dworkin says if those ads capture voters’ attention, it could make a difference.

“But if both sides are spending and both sides have solid performances in terms of their advertising and their ground game, then it’s going to be like the debate we just saw where neither side had a knockout punch.”

Political analysts say Guadagno’s disadvantage in fundraising makes it difficult for her to overcome Murphy’s double digit lead in the polls.