Sherrill has massive $4.12 million cash-on-hand after raising nearly $780k in 2nd quarter

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) has amassed a mastodonic $4.12 million warchest after raising a whopping $779,858 during the 2nd quarter of 2021.

This puts the two-term congresswoman in a strong position as New Jersey begins the process of redrawing House districts in advance of the 2022 mid-term elections.

Since her 29,150-vote victory in 2020, 53%-47%, Sherrill has raised a total of $1,550,036 for her campaign to secure a third term.

As a candidate for re-election last year, Sherrill raised $5,494,469 and spent $3,807,868.  He decision to hold on to her money while still decisively defeating Republican Rosemary Becchi has helped boost her campaign warchest.

Becchi, a lobbyist from Short Hills, has told Republican leaders that she wants a rematch with Sherrill.

Four Republicans have filed with the Federal Election Commission as candidates to challenge Sherrill in New Jersey’s 11th district: Hillery Brotschol, Robert Kovic, an attorney from Sparta; Patrick Quinn III, a realtor from Pompton Lakes; and Tom Toomey, a former Republican National Committee staffer.

Sherrill demonstrated early fundraising skills as a congressional candidate, amassing more than $1.2 million by the end of 2017.  Her cash-on-hand helped frighten one of the most powerful Republicans on Capitol Hill, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding), out of the race at the start of 2018.

She raised $8,610,281 in 2018, flipping a seat Republicans had held for 34 years.

In total, Sherrill has raised nearly $16.7 million since becoming a candidate for Congress in May 2017.

The 11th district has trended Democratic since it was last drawn a decade ago with 24,176 more Republicans than Democrats.

The current 11th has 9,619 more Democrats than Republicans and Joe Biden carried the district by a 53%-46% margin.  Donald Trump won the 11th by a narrow one-point margin in 2016, when there were 13,813 more Republicans than Democrats; Frelinghuysen won his twelfth term by a 58%-39% margin that year.

Sherrill raised slightly less than two other New Jersey Democrats who are considered to more vulnerable: Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) raised over $800,000 and has more than $2 million cash-on-hand; and Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes), who had a second quarter haul in excess of $815,00 and has banked over $1.4 million.

But Sherrill’s cash position is more than double what Kim and Malinowski have banked.

New Jersey’s Human Fundraising Machine, Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff), has not yet announced his 2nd quarter fundraising numbers.