Sources: Lance raised at least $500,000 this quarter

State Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon): Politicker file photo 

SUMMIT - Sources close to state Sen. Leonard Lance (R-Hunterdon) say the 7th District Congressional candidate raised at least $500,000 in this quarter, in addition to a separate $90,000 chip-in from the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC).

The campaign had considerable ground to make up after starting the summer fundraising period with just over $80,000 on-hand after Lance won a primary against the well-connected Kate Whitman, daughter of former Gov. Christie Todd Whitman, who is now fundraising for him.

To this point, the GOP nominee lost the television ad war to the well-funded campaign of Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D-Fanwood), who continues to blitz her opponent on cable television.

Lance has run a "Stender is a spender" ad for nearly the last month in hopes of countering Stender, who was up on television earlier and has aired multiple ads, including biographical sketches and continuing attacks on Lance.

The coming week will prove how much Lance has on-hand for the home stretch, specifically much is distributed in televison and other media compared to Stender. As she did against U.S. Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-New Providence) two years ago, Stender enjoys the advantage of backlash against what most New Jerseyans see as the failure of policies by the Bush administration.

But the 7th District is traditionally GOP-leaning territory, and Lance raised more money in this quarter than did the $392,000-infused Ferguson in the same quarter in 2006.

Trying to get the most out of the Lance-Bush association, Stender chastised the state senator and made references to his flailing campaign when Lance two weeks ago attended a big money fundraiser thrown in his and 3rd District Republican candidate Chris Myers’s honor.

The head-liner was President George W. Bush.

Lance has repeatedly responded to Stender by deriding contributions she received from embattled U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel (D-Harlem), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.