Mary Thomas to announce $190K in Q3 fundraising for CD 2 race

North Florida Republican Mary Thomas is ready to confirm another healthy round of fundraising in her bid for Florida’s 2nd Congressional District.

On October 15, Thomas’ campaign will report to the Federal Elections Commission that the first-time candidate has taken in over $190,000 in contributions during the third quarter of 2015. She will also end Q3 with over $160K cash on hand.

Thomas, a Tallahassee attorney formerly with the administration of Gov. Rick Scott, served as general counsel for the Department of Elder Affairs. She will face Panama City urologist Neal Dunn in the Republican primary for the seat now held by first-term Democrat Gwen Graham.

If elected, Thomas would be the first Indian-American woman ever to serve in Congress.

“The people of North Florida have told me that they do not want a lobbyist or a political insider as their Republican nominee,” Thomas said in a statement Wednesday, thanking supporters for the fundraising success of her “historic” campaign. “They certainly don’t want a liberal who backed Obamacare expansion in Florida and gave cash contributions to liberals.

“I’m the only true conservative in this race who has consistently said that I want to fully and immediately repeal Obamacare, defund Planned Parenthood, and reject the Iran Deal,” she added. “I’m the only candidate with a plan to cut taxes and eliminate the IRS.”

Thomas also promises to bring her campaign to “every county, talk to every voter, and fight for a new generation of conservative leadership in Washington.”  She then acknowledged she might never have as much money as a “rich, lobbyist, political insider.”

It was a dig at Dunn, her primary opponent who, despite longstanding ties to the region’s GOP establishment, had donated to a variety of moderate Republican and Democratic candidates, including Charlie Crist and current U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson.

“But we will have more than enough to make sure voters know who the true conservative is, and who the Charlie Crist Republican is,” Thomas continued. “I am very grateful to those who have made the commitment to support this effort to elect a true conservative.”