Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop reports his gubernatorial campaign‘s first quarter numbers:

$2.2 million raised and $40K on the expense side ($40k).

A big city pol who for a decade navigated the tough world of Hudson County’s most complex town as its chief executive, Fulop in April formally announced that he is running for Governor in 2025.

“I’m running for governor,” the mayor said in an emailed message.

“I’m launching my campaign now because I believe that New Jersey can become an even better place for all of us, and I will be sharing my vision over the coming months for how we will make it happen,” he added. “I’ve never backed down from a fight before, and I’m ready to work hard for all the people of our great state to deliver the results New Jersey deserves.”

First elected mayor in 2013 and twice reelected (2017 and 2021), Fulop is running in the 2025 Democratic Primary to succeed sitting Governor Phil Murphy.

The candidate crowed about his haul in a release, noting that the total is the most ever raised by a non-incumbent gubernatorial candidate in his or her first fundraising quarter in New Jersey history, and it was achieved in an abbreviated window since Fulop announced his campaign for Governor on April 11.

“From the day we launched we have received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from Democrats throughout New Jersey, and this unprecedented fundraising total is the latest sign that our campaign is gaining major momentum,” said Mayor Fulop. “I’m so thankful to the more than 1,300 individuals who contributed to our campaign and who have bought into our vision for New Jersey’s future.”

From the release:

The Fulop campaign received contributions from over 1,300 individual donors, with amounts ranging from $50 to the current maximum allowable contribution of $4,900. The $2.2 million raised will mean that the Fulop campaign will receive more than $6 million in additional public matching funds to be used in the primary election window. Currently, the maximum that candidates participating in the state’s public financing program can raise in the primary is $2.7 million, which the Fulop campaign has now nearly reached in a single quarter. The limit is expected to be increased by the state Election Law Enforcement Commission before the 2025 election. The Fulop campaign will report just over $50,000 in expenses, giving it an extremely low burn rate and putting it in a position to save the vast majority of its resources until the Primary election approaches.

“Our campaign is growing every day with new volunteers, supporters and donors coming on board, and I’m proud of not only what we raised but the fact we have kept expenses remarkably low for a campaign of this scope,” said Mayor Fulop. “We’re going to continue working hard over the next 23 months to build our coalition and roll out the most detailed and forward-looking policy agenda in any New Jersey gubernatorial campaign.”

Less than three months since announcing his campaign, Mayor Fulop has secured the county line in Hudson and Warren counties and been endorsed by several of the state’s most influential mayors, including Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle, Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty, South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum, Clinton Mayor Janice Kovach and more. The campaign has also been endorsed by the Amalgamated Transit Workers Union International and New Jersey Council as well as four Teamsters locals representing thousands of active and retired workers. The campaign has also onboarded over 300 volunteers who have gone through an intensive training program and are working to organize in their own communities.