Money Pours Into Diaz De La Portilla Campaign

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MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) - In what is expected to be one of the most-competitive races in the state, Miami Republican Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla raised $212,935 in May.

According to a newly filed finance report, Diaz de la Portilla had $369,000 in his campaign account as of May 31 as he tries to defeat state Rep. Jose Javier Rodriguez, D-Miami, in Senate District 37.

Also, a political committee known as the Foundation for Conservative Values, which is chaired by Diaz de la Portilla, raised $89,600 in May and had about $187,000 on hand.

Both parties are focused on trying to win the redrawn Senate district in Miami-Dade County.

As an indication of that focus, the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee made about $51,000 in in-kind contributions to Diaz de la Portilla's campaign last month, with most of the money going to research.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, raised $54,353 for his campaign account in May and had about $177,000 on hand, the reports show. Also, Rodriguez received about $11,600 in in-kind contributions from the Florida Democratic Party, with the money going to staffing expenses.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.