Marc Chaaban, a YouTuber and former House staffer now vying to become Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill’s successor in the 11th congressional district, announced today that he raised $104,378 during his first day of campaigning.
It’s an impressive total, especially given that Chaaban has never run for office before (at 25, he wasn’t even eligible to run for Congress before this year); Chaaban said none of the total is self-funded.
“This impressive first-day fundraising haul is the result of hundreds of grassroots supporters, not contributions from AIPAC, corporate PACs, lobbyists, or special interests,” Aidan Primeaux, Chaaban’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “We couldn’t be prouder to have the backing of so many New Jerseyans in the 11th and beyond who believe it’s time for a change in Washington.”
Chaaban, who once interned in Sherrill’s office, is up against a field of substantially more seasoned politicians, many of whom have national fundraising bases to draw off of.
Former 7th district Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes) and Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett (D-Wayne), both of whom entered the race last week, raised more than $500,000 and $350,000, respectively, during their first few days in the race. Three other candidates have been running for longer; as of September 30, Morris Township Committeeman/former Mayor Jeff Grayzel had raised $340,000 ($100,000 of it self-funded), Obama administration alum Cammie Croft had raised $188,000, and activist Anna Lee Williams had raised $21,000.
Still others – Secretary of State Tahesha Way, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair), Maplewood Committeeman/former Mayor Dean Dafis, Chatham Borough Councilman Justin Strickland, and former Army paratrooper Zach Beecher – all entered the race recently or haven’t yet officially entered it at all, and thus haven’t released any fundraising numbers.
