Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3) on Friday reported about $860,000 in cash on hand for his 2018 re-election campaign, about $622,000 of which was raised in the third quarter of this year, according to his campaign.
MacArthur’s most recent report with the Federal Election Commission was filed for the quarter ending on June 30. Those filings listed MacArthur’s total fundraising at about $587,ooo. Combined with the new figures for the quarter ending on Sept. 30, MacArthur’s total fundraising comes in at about $1.2 million.
“Congressman MacArthur has shown he’s willing and able to work with anyone – from either party – to improve the lives of his constituents and all Americans,” said MacArthur campaign spokesman Chris Russell in a statement. “His continued strong fundraising numbers prove that people want a real leader representing them, not someone content on decorating a chair and throwing spitballs from the sidelines.”
A big chunk of MacArthur’s fundraising from this year can be attributed to an event he held in June with President Donald Trump. That event reportedly brought in over $800,000 for MacArthur. The fundraiser–held at the Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster–came after MacArthur’s attempt to resurrect Trump’s plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. MacArthur was a key negotiator and drafted an amendment to attempt to get the far-right Freedom Caucus on board with the American Health Care Act. While the effort failed, Trump and national Republicans have stood by MacArthur.
MacArthur’s Democratic challenger Andy Kim has not yet reported quarter three fundraising numbers. According to Kim’s most recent filings with the Federal Election Commission, the Democrat had about $117,000 in total contributions as of June 30.
Kim, a former adviser to President Obama, has used MacArthur’s ties to Trump’s healthcare policy–an unpopular one in New Jersey due to the potential rollback of Medicaid that could impact many state residents–in his campaign efforts.
“Too many of us have been left behind. I’ve heard too many stories about people, many with pre-existing conditions, living with constant fear of losing their health care or being forced to pay skyrocketing premiums they can’t afford,” Kim says on his website.
The 2018 midterm elections have seen significant national interest as Democrats attempt to win back a majority in the House of Representatives. The third district is a swing district that has been identified by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a top target for 2018.
