How much less of his own money Gov. Murphy has spent on current primary election campaign than on his 2017 run
The power of incumbency is well-acknowledged: It confers the bully pulpit, name recognition and better access to fundraising. It also can save candidates a boatload in personal moolah. Exhibit One in that regard is our own Gov. Phil Murphy. When the former Goldman Sachs executive first ran for governor in 2017, he lashed out $16.3 million of his personal wealth on that year’s primary election. Now running for reelection, his reduced outlay of personal funds this time around would put a smile on the face of any financial adviser: The governor and four family members so far have contributed a total of $24,500 toward his primary campaign fund, meaning a comparative savings of $16,275,000.