Drew Wilson
Gary Price scored another fundraising win in August, besting Republican Reps. Matt Hudson and Kathleen Passidomo in the contentious three-way primary for Senate District 23.
The former Naples City Council member took in $14,120 for the month, more than Hudson and Passidomo combined, and spent $7,624. The August haul puts Price at about $109,000 cash-on-hand, including $20,000 in loans the candidate made to his campaign.
With the exception of July, Price has taken the lead in each month since he entered the race, though that likely has a lot to do with Hudson and Passidomo having to halt fundraising during the pair of special sessions this summer. Still, Price’s three-month stats are impressive in their own right.
Hudson is far ahead of the pack, though. The District 80 representative has amassed nearly $250,000 in contributions since filing for the seat in January and has managed to keep his burn rate low, too, with only $18,697 in expenditures over the first eight months of his campaign.
Passidomo hasn’t been as successful, nor as frugal as her two opponents. While the veteran lawmaker has been able to bring in about $127,000 in contributions, her campaign has been shoveling thousands of dollars into consulting and advertising, leaving her with only about $77,000 of that money on hand.
The next few months should be telling. Price has built some positive momentum, but upcoming committee weeks should spark fundraising for the Hudson and Passidomo by virtue of them being in close proximity to donors. If it doesn’t though, the early session next year could give Price enough time to close the gap between him and Hudson before the lawmakers can dedicate their full attention to the campaign.
