New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has spent more than three times as much as Republican rival Chris Christie on their neck-and-neck 2009 governor’s contest, new fundraising reports show.

The pre-election reports, released today by the New Jersey Law Enforcement Commission, show that Corzine, a former Goldman Sachs executive and U.S. senator, has spent $16.8 million, compared to $5.4 million for Christie.

Independent Chris Daggett has spent $940,000.

Corzine’s spending, particularly on a barrage of ads attacking Christie’s record, have been instrumental in narrowing Christie’s lead in the polls. The race has tightened significantly in the past month — the latest polls show a virtual tie after Corzine trailed by double digits in the summer — as Christie’s negative ratings among voters have shot up.