Loranne Ausley strikes back, posts banner cash month in HD 9 race

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Republican Jim Messer shocked onlookers when he posted $52,000 in contributions last month in the House District 9 race, but former Democratic Rep. Loranne Ausley struck back in October with a banner month of her own.

Ausley’s $47,000 haul was her second best since filing for the seat in May, and gives her a comfortable $93,000 lead over Messer, who followed up his September performance with $12,350 in October.

Most of Ausley’s contributions came from individuals chipping in $250 or less, though she did bring in four $1,000 checks, including a pair from health care committees Chiropac and Florida Health Care PAC. Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant, who curiously listed her occupation as a homemaker, also showed up in the October report with a $500 contribution.

October campaign expenses totaled $7,115, with the bulk of that money paying for food and drinks at an Edison Restaurant fundraiser in Tallahassee. The Ausley camp also spent $1,169 on T-shirts from Tallahassee screen printer Full Press Apparel.

Messer’s total included a half dozen $1,000 checks, including one from Datamaxx Executive Vice President Stephani Miller and a pair from Tallahassee lawyers Belinda France and Michael Maida. Expenses registered at $2,920, including a $1,938 payment to Southern Campaign Resources for a direct mail campaign and $661 to Last Call for drinks at a campaign event.

Heading into November, Messer had $61,000 on-hand compared with Ausley’s $154,000 total. Democrat Arnitta Grice-Walker, the third candidate in the race, raised $557 last month, which leaves her campaign $530 in the red.

Drew Wilson

Drew Wilson is Vice President of Florida Politics, where he helps lead a talented team that produces must-read newsletters including Sunburn, Takeaways from Tallahassee, and Diagnosis. A University of Florida alumnus, he began his career at The Independent Florida Alligator — the nation’s largest student-run newspaper and a training ground for many of Florida’s top political reporters. He later served as a business correspondent for The Hollywood Reporter, then returned to Tallahassee to cover the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current, before segueing to Florida Politics, where he’s been for more than a decade. He spends too much time workshopping zingers for Capitol Directions — and not enough time outdoors.



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