Murphy, Ciattarelli receive first checks under public financing program

More than $1.8 million in public matching funds for the two major party gubernatorial candidates was approved today by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Gov. Phil Murphy received $1,077,170, while Republican Jack Ciattarelli was given $785,351 in the first award of general election matching funds under the state’s gubernatorial public financing program.

Both candidates have agreed to a spending cap of $15.6 million for the November election as a condition of receiving matching funds.  That includes a maximum of $10.5 million in public funds but does not include dollars spent by state party coordinated campaigns or independent expenditures.

Murphy can hit the maximum number if he raised an additional $3.14 million; Ciattarelli needs to raise $3.24 million to hit the cap.

Both candidates raised the maximum amount permitted by state law in the primary election.