Money is also being raised in impressive quantities in several other contests in South Jersey and elsewhere.
The Republican and Democratic slates in the Shore district have raised nearly $1 million each in their campaigns for the district's one Senate and two Assembly seats, and the races are expected to attract even more donations as the Nov. 8 election draws closer.
The state Election Law Enforcement Commission will release the first general-election reports for campaign-finance activity on Tuesday, but documents The Inquirer obtained last week offer an early look at fund-raising - and spending - in several of the most interesting races.
Those reports depict campaign activity as of 29 days before the election, so a lot can still change.
Whelan and his Democratic Assembly running mates, Atlantic County Freeholder Alisa Cooper and Damon Tyner, have raised a combined $918,467 and spent $800,326.
Whelan's vote for controversial legislation in June requiring public workers to pay more toward their pension and health benefits cost him the endorsement - and campaign contributions - of public-sector unions.
But he has received a flood of donations from building-trades unions, which have a big stake in the development of Atlantic City.
The Second District Democrats have already spent at least $270,000 on advertising, glossy fliers, and radio and TV commercials in the Philadelphia market.
The latest commercial began running Friday and attacks Assemblyman John Amodeo.
Republicans Polistina, Amodeo, and Chris Brown, the slate's other Assembly candidate, have raised a combined $942,632, though the Assembly candidates have split with Polistina over concerns about his campaign's negative ads. The Republican candidates have spent $462,917.
Republican Gov. Christie already has held a number of fund-raisers for the Second District Republicans, according to one party insider.
