Pallone has less than $1 million in campaign cash

Plainfield Today photo

Congressman Frank Pallone’s (NJ-6, Monmouth and Middlesex) once formidable campaign war chest of roughly $4 million is down to less than $1 million according his latest report to the Federal Election Commission.

New Jersey’s senior Democratic congressman, Pallone spent $3,778,155 in the Special U.S. Senate Primary last summer in his bid to replace the late Senator Frank Lautenberg. He lost that primary to then Newark Mayor Cory Booker.

Pallone reported $938,472 cash on hand in his congressional campaign account as of March 31, 2014. He raised $200,449.64 in the first quarter of this year and disbursed #338,450.67. $60, 645 remains in his senate campaign account.

The $938,472 that Pallone reports on hand may be inflated by illegal contributions. A cursory examination of his most recent quarterly report reveals $14,200 in contributions from individuals during the current election cycle that exceed the legal limit of $2600 per election.

Anthony Wilkinson, the presumptive GOP nominee to challenge Pallone this fall did not declare his candidacy with the FEC until April 4. As such he did not raise campaign funds in the first quarter. His first campaign fundraising report will be due in July for the second quarter.

Of incumbent New Jersey Members of Congress, Pallone now ranks third in campaign cash on hand. Republican Scott Garrett of NJ-5 (Bergen, Passaic, Sussex and Warren) reported $2,908,244 on hand. Frank LoBiondo, R-NJ-2 (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties) has $1,276,930 on hand.