Corson has advantage over Amenhauser; Democrats have outraised GOP freeholders
By BILL BARLOW /Special to the Sentinel
UPPER TOWNSHIP — Republican incumbent Curtis Corson showed a considerable fundraising advantage over challenger John Amenhauser in this year’s race for a seat on Township Committee, according to campaign finance reports filed with the state.
The first of three required finance reports, available through the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, shows Corson raised $32,184 for his campaign to remain in office and keep the township governing body Republican-only.
That’s more than three times the amount raised by Democratic challenger Amenhauser, who reported slightly less than $6,000 in campaign contributions, including in-kind donations of more than $1,000.
In the race for two seats on the Cape May County Board of Chosen Freeholders, reports show it is the Democrats who have far more cash at the ready than the Republican incumbents. In part, that appears to be due to a sizable donation from candidate Brendan Sciarra to the campaign.
A campaign finance report filed Oct. 5 shows Sciarra, a Wildwood businessman and restaurant owner as well as the Democratic county chairman, gave his own campaign $81,300 in a series of donations beginning in the summer. He is also listed as providing thousands of dollars’ worth of in-kind contributions to the campaign, including hosting fundraisers at his business.
The other Democrat in the race, attorney Elizabeth Casey, donated a total of $4,500 to the campaign in two installments in August and September.
Candidates are obliged to report their campaign finances to ELEC, with the most detailed report being the R-1, which shows the cash on hand, the expenditures and the names, addresses and occupations of contributors who give more than $300.
The Democratic campaign for freeholder went further, listing the names of donors who gave as little as $50 in a 40-page report available on the ELEC website.
Together, it added up to $161,855 on hand as of the first report. There are two more reports due, one shortly before Election Day on Nov. 3, the other due after the election to show the last-minute spending.
The report filed by the campaign of Will Morey and Jeff Pierson, the incumbent freeholders, showed total campaign contributions of $51,850 as of Oct. 13. Most of that money came from contributions of more than $300, including $5,000 from Morey’s wife, Janice, $1,000 from Pierson and $6,000 from “Morey for Freeholder,” which lists Morey’s home address in Wildwood Crest.
Other contributors include several professionals in Cape May County, including $5,000 from the law firm of Cooper Levenson, $2,500 from accountant Leon Costello, $5,000 from Engineering Design Associates, $5,200 from Remington and Vernick Engineers and $1,000 from James Byrne of the J. Byrne Agency.
The largest contribution came in the form of $20,000 from the Cape May County Regular Republican Organization, turned over to the freeholder campaign in a lump sum Sept. 23.
Some of the Democrats’ funding came from outside the area, including a $1,000 contribution from Iron Workers Local 399 in Hammonton on Sept. 9 and $2,500 from Sheet Metal Workers in Philadelphia, among others. Multiple area residents are listed as giving relatively small amounts, below the reporting threshold, including $100 from former Upper Township committee candidate Don Oral.
There was one instance of overlap, with James Byrne of Wildwood also shown contributing $1,000 to the Democrats.
Much of the Republicans’ reported spending so far went for radio ads, primarily at Coastal Broadcasting in Wildwood. As of the report, the campaign spent just more than $9,000 of its cash on hand as of the first filing deadline.
The Democratic campaign, on the other hand, reported spending more than $133,000 on campaign expenses. Much of that spending also went to radio ads, according to the detailed list in the report, as well as thousands of dollars spent on lawn signs, newspaper ads, billboards and direct mail.
The campaign also spent more than $20,000 on digital marketing, according to the report.
There were no reports on the ELEC website for independent freeholder candidate Ryan Troiano, although he has spent some money on campaign signs that have appeared throughout the county. Candidates who plan to raise and spend money below a certain threshold may file a simple declaration, but election law requires some kind of form be filed.
In an email, Troiano said he plans to file for the next reporting cycle. He offered to provide details on his campaign spending for this report but did not respond in time for deadline Tuesday.
In Upper Township, reports show Amenhauser spending for lawn signs and newspaper advertisements, including with The Sentinel, as well as spending small amounts with Facebook on several occasions. The greatest expenses include thousands spent on direct mail pieces.
Corson gave more than $2,400 to his own campaign, according to the report, with multiple other contributors giving a few hundred dollars each. The largest single contribution came from the Cape May County Regular Republican Organization, which gave $2,500 in August.
Corson’s report shows thousands spent on signs and fliers, and less on radio advertisement.
In two instances, the campaign spent more than $1,000 on food and drink at The Deauville Inn in Strathmere for fundraisers, according to the report.
