The Election Law Enforcement Commission disbursed nearly $350,000 to a trio of gubernatorial candidates on Wednesday, as candidates try to scrounge up any cash they can before Election Day next week.
Most of Wednesday’s money went to a pair of Democrats, with $154,603 headed for Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and $136,400 going to former state Senate President Steve Sweeney.
The final $58,330 went to state Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield). Notably, no matching funds went to former conservative radio host Bill Spadea, whose campaign has faced a steeper climb after President Donald Trump’s sought-after endorsement instead went to former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli. 
Four candidates — Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and Ciattarelli — have already received the max $5.5 million in matching funds. Ciattarelli is the only Republican to have maxed out.
Baraka now stands at $4,190,522 total, or about 76% of the max, while Sweeney is at 96% of the cap with $5,294,619.
Bramnick has received $3,238,347 total, or 59% of the cap. Spadea has received about half the cap, or $2,763,251 total.
Under New Jersey’s public financing program, first enacted during the state’s 1977 elections, candidates for governor are eligible to receive $2 for every $1 they raise, as long as they both meet a minimum threshold of $580,000 raised and don’t go over a spending cap of $8.7 million. (More public funds will be made available to the two major-party candidates who make it to the general election, with higher spending caps in place as well.)
Bramnick, Baraka, and Spadea appear unlikely to hit the full match before Election Day. ELEC matching funds are disbursed with specific earmarks, so it’s possible that more disbursements are coming in the final days, though it’s now or never.
Three candidates who will appear on primary ballots — New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, a Democrat, and former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and contractor Justin Barbera, both Republicans — did not raise enough to qualify for matching funds.
ELEC has disbursed $37.5 million to gubernatorial candidates.
