The Human Fundraising Machine has intensified his game as he mulls a bid for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination next year
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) has a Gigantomachiac $19.412 million cash-on-hand after raising a dimensionless $1.77 million during the second quarter of 2024.
This was Gottheimer’s best quarter ever as he seeks re-election to a fifth term in New Jersey’s 5th district. Between now and Election Day, Gottheimer could spend a million dollars a week on television ads and still have millions left over, if he wanted to.
His Republican opponent, Mary Jo Guinchard, reported raising $74,933 through May 15, but has not yet released her second quarter numbers. She spent over $57,000 to score a 70% win against Paramus school board member George Song in the June primary.
Guinchard, who had been mayor of a village in Orange County, New York, with a population of 645, was labeled “MAGA Mary” by Gottheimer during the primary. Gottheimer is likely to outspend her.
Gottheimer has raised over $36.4 million since he announced plans to challenge Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Wantage), a seven-term incumbent, in 2016. He ousted Garrett in 2016 by 14,897 votes, 51%-47%, in a district that Donald Trump won by one point. Gottheimer became the first Democrat to win New Jersey’s 5th district in 36 years.
The district remained competitive enough that Trump still won 47% in 2020. Gottheimer ran one point ahead of Joe Biden against former Wall Street banker Frank Pallotta, who put $1.5 million of his own money into the race; Gottheimer won by 31,842 votes.
Redistricting made the 5th more Democratic in 2022 when staunchly Republican towns in Warren County were replaced by new Democratic areas of Bergen County. The new lines would have meant a 12-point win for Biden. That gave Gottheimer a solid 10-point victory in a rematch with Pallotta, who did not spend much of his own money in 2022.
Gottheimer created his own luck in that race, spending money to communicate with Republicans in a way that boosted Pallotta over a primary opponent viewed as a stronger general election candidate: Nick De Gregorio, a U.S. Marine combat veteran.
A former Clinton White House speechwriter and Microsoft executive, Gottheimer is co-chairman of the House Problem Solvers Caucus and holds seats on the Financial Services and Intelligence committees. Gottheimer has emerged as an influential Democrat on Capitol Hill and is part of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ inner circle.
Gottheimer’s fundraising numbers don’t include his leadership PAC, or monies raised directly for state and national Democratic candidates.