Garrett Challenger Crosses $2M Fundraising Mark

Congressional candidate Josh Gottheimer has raised $600,000 in the first three months of the year.

That amount puts the Democratic challenger in the 5th District over the $2 million mark since his election bid kicked off last year, Gottheimer’s campaign confirmed Monday. Gottheimer’s opponent, longtime incumbent Scott Garrett, still holds a sizeable money lead over him.

Gottheimer, a social Democrat, had received more than $1.4 million as of Dec. 31, Federal Election Commission records show. Most of that, nearly $1.3 million, came from individual contributors.

David Wasserman, House editor for the Cook Political Report, told The Record that while “it’s a fine total” It isn’t “earth-shattering.”

Wasserman said he has seen dozens of House candidates bring in as much or more money than Gottheimer has and lose.

Garrett, by comparison, had only received a little more than $700,000 in contributions in the first quarter, but had nearly $2.4 million in cash on hand, FEC records show.

Alpine resident and comedian Chris Rock and former U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli each donated $1,000.

Gottheimer is a former corporate strategist for Microsoft and speechwriter for President Bill Clinton.

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Pictured: Rep. Scott Garrett, left, and Josh Gottheimer.