Jay Vaingankar, a Biden administration Energy Department official who announced yesterday that he’s running for New Jersey’s 12th congressional district, said today that he raised more than $126,000 during his first 24 hours in the race.
“I’m grateful for the backing of so many grassroots supporters, especially young people,” Vaingankar said in a statement. “Their enthusiasm allows our campaign to focus on the voters of Central Jersey – and not special interests.”
The strong fundraising haul establishes the 27-year-old Vaingankar, who has never sought elected office before, as a candidate to take seriously in the increasingly crowded Democratic primary to succeed retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing). For now, though, it’s impossible to compare Vaingankar’s fundraising to that of his opponents, since none of them announced any of their own fundraising numbers after launching their campaigns to replace Watson Coleman.
It may be a while before that changes. The Federal Election Commission deadline for filing reports covering October through December 2025 – the quarter during which nearly every 12th district candidate entered the race – won’t be until January 31, 2026, though some candidates could choose to announce their fundraising totals earlier.
Also running for the heavily Democratic Central Jersey district are East Brunswick Mayor Brad Cohen, Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson (D-Franklin), Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Trenton), Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck, fitness studio owner Kyle Little, and former West Windsor mayoral candidate Sujit Singh. At least two others, State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) and attorney Squire Servance, are mulling entering the race.
