May 5, 2009 2:30 pm US/Eastern
Christie Raising More Than Rival In NJ GOP Primary
MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. (CBS) ―
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Former U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie (File)
usdoj.gov
Gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie has raised about twice as much in contributions as his main rival in next month's Republican primary election.
Christie, a former U.S. Attorney, has brought in more than $1.8 million in contributions since entering the race early this year. Add money from a taxpayer-funded matching grant program and his total receipts are $4.7 million, according to campaign financial disclosures made public Tuesday.
That's more than twice as much as former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan brought in since launching his campaign last year. Lonegan has received about $935,000 in contributions plus public financing worth $1.3 million for a total of $2.3 million.
Christie has more than erased Lonegan's early fundraising advantage. Long expected to consider a run for governor, Christie hastily announced his intention to run in January, just after Lonegan's campaign had raised enough to qualify for public funding. Christie's formal campaign didn't start until February.
Lonegan's contributions came from more donors, while Christie received more donations of the maximum $3,400. That reflects the roles of the two in the campaign. Lonegan had already built a network of conservatives before joining the race, while Christie has been a darling of the state's GOP establishment and has picked up endorsements from big-name Republicans from outside New Jersey, such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Despite the fundraising gap, the two campaigns have spent about the same amount: between $1.6 million and $1.8 million. That gives Christie a major financial edge headed into the final weeks of the campaign for the primary on June 2.
Lonegan was trying to close the gap, holding perhaps his biggest fundraiser of the year Tuesday evening -- a rally in Clark featuring Samuel Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber." Wurzelbacher became a conservative political celebrity last year when he asked then-candidate Barack Obama about tax policy.
A third Republican, Assemblyman Richard Merkt, raised only $11,250 since between January and the report, which was filed Monday, and under $44,000 going back to last year. That's not enough to qualify for matching dollars.
On the Democratic side, incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine does not face serious primary competition.
But there are signs that his campaign has already ramped up. He has spent more than $960,000 on his re-election since January.
Corzine is not accepting public matching funds, and the former Wall Street executive will likely pay for most of the campaign himself.
Christie was born in Newark and raised in Livingston. He has lived in New Jersey
his entire life.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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