Dennis Baxley Senate campaign gets $42,000 in May; Jimmie Smith lags

Campaign finance numbers released Wednesday show Ocala Republican Rep. Dennis Baxley raised $42,665 for his District 5 Senate campaign in May, bringing his contribution total to $143,825.

Expenditures for the month totaled $4,906, leaving the Baxley campaign with $123,000 cash on hand.

The representative had a banner month in February, bringing in $79,500, but campaign rules paused his fundraising efforts during the Legislative Session.

The majority of Baxley’s May contributions come from the health care industry, with several Ocala-area doctor offices and individual physicians writing checks for maximum contribution of $1,000.

Baxley isn’t alone in the race, though.

Inverness Republican Rep. Jimmie Smith is also running for the seat, now held by termed-out Republican Sen. Charlie Dean, but the money gap has widened between him and Baxley.

Smith posted $17,022 in May – his best month yet – bringing his contribution total to $56,997, with $34,496 cash on hand.