Florida Candidates Report New Monthly Fundraising Totals
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami) – New monthly fundraising reports show that some legislative and statewide candidates have raised tens of thousands of dollars during October.
Among the top money-raisers during October was Sen. Tom Lee, a Brandon Republican who collected $90,850 as he seeks re-election in Senate District 24.
According to reports due Tuesday with the state Division of Elections, many of the largest fund-raisers were incumbents. But Fort Lauderdale Democrat Bobby B. DuBose raised $29,650 in little more than two weeks after entering the race in mid-October to replace term-limited Rep. Perry Thurston, D-Fort Lauderdale, in District 94.
In the governor's race, Democrat Nan Rich raised $8,291 during October, bringing her overall total to $224.065. Rich's opponent in the Democratic primary, former Gov. Charlie Crist, opened his campaign account Nov. 1, so he will not have to file a report until December.
Incumbent Gov. Rick Scott also has not opened a campaign account. But the "Let's Get to Work" committee, which is a key arm of his campaign, raised $824,835 during the month.
Aside from legislative races, October was a relatively light fund-raising month for Cabinet candidates. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam raised the most, bringing in $49,984.
Meanwhile, state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater collected $40,690, and Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi raised $16,675. On the Democratic side, attorney general candidate George Sheldon, who opened a campaign account Oct. 21, reported collecting $5,931.
The new monthly filing requirement is part of changes that supporters said will help improve transparency in the campaign-finance system
"The News Service of Florida's Jim Turner contributed to this report."
