Corzine spends more than 2 foes combined

Gov. Corzine has spent about $23 million - most of it his own money - in his fight for reelection, more than the combined total of his two main competitors, according to campaign finance documents released yesterday.

After spending $60 million on his U.S. Senate race in 2000 and $40 million on his first governor's race in 2005, the former chief executive officer of Goldman Sachs & Co. is poised to spend as much as $30 million in this race.

And beyond the candidates' funds, money is pouring in from around the country to fund advertising in the only race that features an incumbent governor. Virginia is the only other state with a governor's race, and Gov. Tim Kaine is prevented by term limits from running.

In New Jersey, polls show Corzine in a dead heat with Republican Christopher J. Christie, who has raised $11.7 million and spent $8.8 million. Independent Chris Daggett has raised $1.3 million and spent $1.2 million.

Daggett and Christie are participating in the state finance program, which limits their spending. They are unable to match the power of Corzine's wallet to buy campaign advertising in a state split between two of the nation's most expensive media markets.

Of the millions Corzine has spent, all but about $1 million has come from his personal fortune.

In addition to his advertising buys, Corzine has spent at least $6 million to bankroll county and state party groups as well as sympathetic candidates. And through his personal foundation, Corzine has given funds to charities led by ministers and community activists, who have gotten out the vote for him.

In 2005, his money could not become an issue for Republicans, as they had nominated another millionaire, Doug Forrester.

But in this race, Christie has been in the unusual position of being a Republican complaining about a rich Democrat.

When former Bergen County Democratic leader Joseph Ferriero was convicted on corruption charges last week, Christie opened fire, saying, "Corzine has decried the toxic mix of politics and money in New Jersey. He has been one of the leading chemists in that toxic mix."

Corzine has given more than $400,000 to the Bergen Democratic organization. His mother even sent a $37,000 check in 2004 from her home in Oak Park, Ill., to fund Ferriero's machine.

Corzine says his contributions were meant to build up the Democratic Party in a county known for swinging both ways.

Though there are contribution limits in New Jersey for everyone but a self-funding candidate, individuals and corporations give to outside groups - most notably the Democratic and Republican Governors Associations, which are financing election operations here.

Christie raised money for the RGA at three October fund-raisers, including a $10,000-a-head party at the Moorestown home of Commerce Bank founder Vernon Hill.

Since February, Todd Christie, brother of the GOP candidate, has given $104,000 to various county, state, and local Republican organizations and candidates, including his brother. And he gave $200,000 to the RGA.

A handful of casino companies, banned from contributing directly to gubernatorial and other candidates, have contributed to the governors' associations. Boyd Gaming Corp., which operates the Borgata casino, gave $25,000 to the RGA. Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which operates four Atlantic City casinos, gave $50,000 to the DGA. Though Donald Trump gave $25,000 to the RGA, he has resigned from the Atlantic City casino company that bears his name.

Others also have found ways to get around the state's strict gubernatorial financing rules, which cap contributions at $300 for those wishing to do state business.

The law firms of Capehart & Scatchard and Lum, Drasco & Positan, which have state contracts, have given a combined $30,000 to the RGA since July, according to finance records in Virginia, which has stricter reporting rules on outside groups than New Jersey.

Johnson & Johnson, the New Brunswick, N.J., medical-products firm that has contracts with state mental institutions, has given $50,000 to the DGA since July.

A company spokeswoman said it gives to both parties' governors associations in the interest of "the development of sound public policy." She described the contributions to DGA as a membership fee and to support events. So did a spokesman for the engineering firm AECOM USA Inc., which has state contracts and gave $31,000 to the DGA. Like Johnson & Johnson, AECOM also gives to the RGA.

Covanta Energy Corp., which has county and local contracts to convert trash into energy, gave to both governors associations.

Unions representing teachers and iron and electrical workers also gave to the DGA.

The RGA has run an aggressive $5.3 million television ad campaign, according to TNS Media Intelligence in Arlington, Va. The ads attack Corzine and Daggett.

The DGA spent about $3.2 million, much of it to enhance the Democrats' get-out-the-vote operations.

It also donated to a group called New Jersey Progress, though the amount will not be known until later this year, when the group must report its campaign finance activity. New Jersey Progress has spent about $1 million on television ads since September criticizing Christie for supporting no-frills insurance policies, echoing a criticism in some of Corzine's ads.

The group also is paying to mail literature to voters' homes and running a field operation in central New Jersey, according to a spokesman.

Daggett, who does not have the support of national party groups, has decried Republican and Democratic spending, saying "they've spent millions of dollars going around campaign laws of New Jersey, funneling money into the RGA and DGA only to have it come back in negative campaigns slinging mud."

Although voters may already have television advertising fatigue, the biggest onslaught in the race is set for the coming days. Christie's campaign said yesterday that he would be spending heavily on television advertising in the final days. Corzine and Daggett each unveiled new television ads yesterday.