2022 Midterms: New Jersey university employees overwhelmingly donate to Democrats

Campus Reform analyzed FEC data on employee political donations from ten of the state’s leading universities.

Approximately 93.34% of university employees donated to Democratic candidates.

As New Jersey approaches midterm elections, Campus Reform analyzed university employee political donations from ten of the state’s universities during the current midterm election cycle: Nov. 4, 2020, to the present.

The overwhelming majority of employees at the following universities who contributed to federal congressional campaigns throughout the latest midterm election cycle donated to Democrats, the investigation has revealed.

Each entry provides total donations and district ratings, which measures each congressional district’s political leaning. 

All district ratings are derived from the Cook Political Report and all donation history is derived from publicly available data from the Federal Election Commission.


Princeton University

94.42% of employees at Princeton University who donated to political causes donated to Democrats, amounting to $1,297,097.14 in contributions.

Only 3.47% of the university’s staff who donated, donated to Republicans.

Republicans received just $27,771.06 in contributions. 

Princeton University is located in New Jersey’s twelfth district, which is represented by Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman. 

The 12th district has a new, estimated district rating of D+12. 

Princeton University is a private institution. 


Montclair State University

93.29% of Montclair State University employees who donated to political campaigns did so to Democrats. 

The contributions to Democrats totaled $40,983.98. 

Republicans received donations totaling just $2,075.00, 6.71% of Montclair University employee donations.

Montclair University is located in Montclair, New Jersey. Montclair is split between the state’s tenth and eleventh congressional districts. The eleventh congressional district is represented by Democrat Mikie Sherrill, which has a D+6 rating. 

Montclair University is a public institution. 


Rowan University

88.62% of employees at Rowan University who contributed to congressional campaigns donated to Democrats, while only 11.38% of donors donated to Republicans. 

Donations from the university’s employees to Democrats totaled $24,109.47, but Republicans received just $12,592.59

Rowan University is located in the city of Glassboro, which is in New Jersey’s first congressional district. This district is represented by Democrat Donald Norcross and has a D+10 rating. 

Rowan University is a public institution.


Seton Hall University

Employees at Seton Hall University who donated gave $32,979.07. While 80.73% of donors donated to Democrats, only 19.27% of donors donated to Republican candidates. 

Total donations to democratic campaigns were over $27,000.

Seton Hall University is located in South Orange in New Jersey’s tenth congressional district—represented by Democrat Donald Payne Jr. and has a district rating of D+30. 

Seton Hall University is a private institution. 


Monmouth University

Monmouth University employees who contributed to congressional races gave a total of $19,699.98. 

89.66% of donors gave to Democrats, amounting to more than $18,000. But only 10.34% of donors donated to Republicans, which totaled less than $820.  

Monmouth University is located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, in the state’s sixth congressional district. New Jersey’s sixth congressional district is represented by Democrat Frank Pallone and has a D+8 rating. 

Monmouth University is a private institution. 


Stevens Institute of Technology

90% of employees at Stevens Institute of Technology who donated to political campaigns donated to Democrats, and only 10% of donors donated to Republicans. 

In total, donors gave $16,599.13 to Democrats, but just $1,055 to Republicans. 

Stevens Institute of Technology is located in Hoboken, which is in the 8th district. According to The Cook Political Report, New Jersey’s eighth district is represented by Democrat Albio Sires and has a district rating of D+22. 

Stevens Institute of Technology is a private institution. 


Drew University

Employees at Drew University who donated to congressional races gave $11,611.43. 

While 98.08% of donors contributed to Democrats, only 1.92% contributed to Republicans.

Republicans received just $50 in total.

Drew University is located in Madison, which is in New Jersey’s eleventh congressional district and is represented by Democrat Mike Sherrill. This district has a D+6 rating. 

Drew University is a private institution. 


Rider University

Rider University employee donations totaled $7,906.24. 

Only $100 was donated to Republican candidates, which constitutes just 1.37% of donors.

Rider University is located in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. This is in the twelfth district—represented by Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman and has a D+12 rating.    

Rider University is a private institution. 


Rutgers University—Newark

Employees at Rutgers University—Newark, who donated gave $7,081.56 to Democratic candidates. 

No employee at the university contributed to Republicans. 

Rutgers University—Newark, is located in Newark, New Jersey, in the state’s tenth congressional district. New Jersey’s tenth district is represented by Democrat Donald Payne Jr. and has a district rating of D+30. 

Rutgers University—Newark is a public institution. 


New Jersey Institute of Technology

Employees at the New Jersey Institute of Technology who donated to political causes gave $6,137 to Democrats. 

No employees donated to Republicans.  

New Jersey Institute of Technology is located in the city of Newark, which is in New Jersey’s tenth district. This is represented by Democrat Donald Payne Jr. and has a D+30 rating. 

New Jersey Institute of Technology is a public institution. 


Campus Reform has reached out to all 10 schools for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.