The Prince and the Pauper: Adler and Myers

It's not often a congressional seat opens up in New Jersey - so you would think that all editorial eyes would be focused on any and all campaign story angles in the open districts - especially the hometown dailies.

So when the 3rd District (Burlington-Ocean-Camden) campaigns closed their fundraising books for the 2nd quarter and candidates started reporting cash-on-hand, it should have made some news.

Show us the money!

Dem Adler is rolling in dough - compared to GOP Myers' bank account -- with $1.9 million reportedly raised in his campaign war chest. That's more than most incumbents in the state.

Even the Burlington County Times - perhaps not wanting to show up the hometown boy - passed on the press announcements about the drained campaign coffers of Chris Myers. A bit odd given BCT's more than passing interest in Myers' nitty-gritty primary contest with Ocean County rival Jack Kelly and the money race between the two GOP rivals (BCT, 5/24/08 and BCT, 6/1/08).

Of interest, the Associated Press did run a weekend story about the two hottest races in the state -- in the 3rd and 7th congressional districts. A few dailies ran the story including the BCT - but the Sunday print version cut 8 graphs which spotlighted the local race. Those edits left out a reported 14:1 fundraising advantage Adler held over Myers in mid-May.

Just for the record, The Press of Atlantic City - one of the other dailies in the 3rd district - ran the longer version.

UPDATE: Still no BCT news three days after Tuesday's FEC filings which show Adler with a 9:1 cash-on-hand advantage over Myers - once again more than most N.J. incumbents.