A few of the top-tier candidates in the Garden State’s open 7th district race began releasing their first-quarter fundraising numbers last week, and state Assemblywoman Linda Stender (D) appears to be leading the way after raising $430,000 in the last three months.

That haul put Stender over the $1 million mark in cycle-to-date fundraising and gave her close to $840,000 in cash on hand, according to a release from Stender’s campaign. Stender is taking her second shot at the north-central New Jersey seat after losing to Rep. Mike Ferguson (R) by less than 2 points in 2006.

In what continues to be a narrowly split district, Democrats have been very optimistic about Stender’s chances this year, especially after Ferguson announced in November that he plans to retire at the end of his term.

On the Republican side, Kate Whitman, the daughter of former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman (R), announced Friday that she had raised more than $230,000 in the first quarter of 2008 and will report more than $430,000 raised since joining the race late last year.

The other top-tier Republican in the race, state Sen. Leonard Lance, has not released his fundraising numbers for the first quarter, but they are due to the Federal Election Commission by April 15.
— John McArdle