A.G. Gancarski
Jacksonville Democrat Terry Fields represented HD 14 for eight years from 2000-2008. He wants his title back. And his December fundraising haul will help.
In a district bereft of big dollars, Fields’ first month of fundraising, bringing in $12,750 against just under $400 spent, is a head turner, both because of quantity and, more importantly, because of the names of his donors, who include some #jaxpol A-Listers.
Gary Chartrand, Edward Baker, John Baker, and Wayne Weaver all maxed out for Fields in December.
Fields also got considerable out of area money, including a maximum contribution from the Ron Book operating account.
Fields’ opponent, Leslie Jean-Bart, has raised just shy of $25,000 and had about $5,000 of that on hand through November.
December numbers for her are not yet available.
The contest between the two candidates promises to be lively.
Jean-Bart, backed by a host of local Democratic Party luminaries, including Audrey Gibson, current HD 14 incumbent Mia Jones, and Corrine Brown, will no doubt have access to the resources of those networks, as well as that of trial lawyers.
However, Fields is tapping into a different vein of establishment support, one with a deeper monetary reach and a GOP lean.
Fields ran a couple unsuccessful races since leaving the State House, including for City Council in 2015, a race in which he had the strongest fundraising before the First Election.
Could 2016 be his year to get back in the game, however?
