Show Us The Money

Joe Hathaway, the Republican challenger running for New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, raised $624,231 this election cycle, according to the latest FEC campaign finance report. His campaign has spent nearly every dollar it brought in, leaving just $5,350 cash on hand as the race heads into its next phase.

Hathaway's committee, Joe Hathaway for Congress, pulled in $583,132 from individual donors, about 93 cents of every dollar raised. Political committees added $39,600. The campaign received no party committee transfers and no candidate loans.

Total spending reached $618,882, meaning the campaign burned through roughly 99 cents for every dollar raised. It also carries $14,788 in outstanding debts. The committee refunded $3,937 to individual donors during the cycle.

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PAC and Organizational Contributors

The $39,600 from other political committees represents Hathaway's only organizational money this cycle. No affiliated party committee transfers came in. No outside spending, either in support of or against Hathaway, has been reported to the FEC, according to campaign finance disclosure records.

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State Comparison

New Jersey's 2026 federal candidates have collectively raised about $295.2 million this cycle. Hathaway's $624,231 represents less than one-quarter of one percent of that statewide total.

The top three fundraisers among New Jersey congressional candidates are:

  • Sen. Cory Booker (D), $17.6 million raised, $22.6 million cash on hand
  • Rep. Thomas Kean Jr. (R, NJ-07), $4.5 million raised, $3.4 million cash on hand
  • Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D, NJ-05), $3.5 million raised, $11.6 million cash on hand

Hathaway's $5,350 cash on hand stands in sharp contrast to the top tier. Booker alone holds more than 4,000 times as much cash in reserve. Even within NJ-11, Hathaway trails Democratic incumbent Analilia Mejia, who raised $1.5 million and holds $134,395 on hand.

Democrats dominate 2026 election fundraising in the state. The party's 60 candidates combined for $56 million in receipts. Republicans (21 candidates total) raised $8.5 million combined. Hathaway accounts for about 7 percent of all Republican fundraising in New Jersey this cycle.

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Incumbents vs. Challengers

Incumbents running in New Jersey hold a commanding financial edge in the 2026 cycle. Among the top 10 fundraisers in the state, eight carry the incumbent designation. Their cash-on-hand figures reflect that advantage: several hold reserves well above $1 million heading into the fall.

Challengers and open-seat candidates tell a different story. Outside of a handful of well-funded races (notably the crowded NJ-07 and NJ-12 contests), most non-incumbents are operating with limited reserves. Hathaway fits that pattern. His $5,350 on hand is among the lowest of any active challenger in the state with receipts above $500,000.

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*Source: Federal Election Commission (FEC), data current as of May 13, 2026.*

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