Rep. Scott Garrett entered 2016 with $1 million more in the bank than his likely opponent. Watch video
WASHINGTON -- Former White House speechwriter Josh Gottheimer almost doubled Rep. Scott Garrett's fundraising last year in preparation for a campaign against the six-term incumbent.
Gottheimer, who worked for former President Bill Clinton, raised $1.4 million through Dec. 31, 2015, according to new Federal Election Commission filings. Garrett (R-5th Dist.) brought in $736,988.
Even so, Garrett entered this year with $2.4 million in the bank, compared with $1.3 million for Gottheimer.
Garrett was rated as New Jersey's most vulnerable House incumbent following reports that he refused to donate to the House Republicans' fundraising arm because it supported gay candidates. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted him for defeat.
He and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) are among 154 House Republicans -- a majority of the conference -- who are sponsoring legislation to allow groups and individuals to cite their religious beliefs and deny service to same-sex couples.
In a statement earlier this month, Garrett said he did not "have malice" toward gays and supported traditional marriage as "a devout man of faith."
The financial community has continued to support his re-election efforts.
Garrett, who chairs a House Financial Services subcommittee, took in more than $6 of every $10 in political action committee money during the last three months of 2015 from the financial and real estate industries or their lobbyists. PNC Bank's PAC gave $3,000 and the Teamsters Union PAC donated $5,000.
He was also helped by a $2,000 donation from Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), chair of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers that Garrett co-founded. Reps. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) and John Carter (R-Texas) also contributed $2,000 apiece to Garrett's re-election.
Gottheimer received $2,000 apiece from the campaign committees of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland. Hoyer's leadership PAC contributed another $5,000.
Rep. Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.) donated $1,000 from his campaign committee, as did Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), who is gay. Mark Penn, chief strategist for Hillary Clinton's unsuccessful 2008 presidential campaign, gave $5,400.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.