Drew Wilson
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.
