Scott Powers
Democrat Susannah Randolph is claiming the campaign money lead in the Orlando-based Congressional District 9 race, saying she raised $125,000 in the third quarter and started 2016 with $225,000 in the bank.
Her announcement, combined with campaign finance reports of other candidates posted Sunday evening with the Federal Elections Commission, show three Democrats have broken the $100,000 plateau in their contest to win the Democratic nomination to replace outgoing U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando.
Meanwhile, Republicans have barely moved on the district, which has always had a strong Democratic bend. One reported raising just over $6,000 on the year, and the other’s report had not been posted, but he previously had raised just over $2,000 in his first nine months.
In the third quarter of 2015 the campaign money leader in the CD 9 race was state Sen. Darren Soto. His final 2015 campaign finance reports were not yet publicly posted Sunday evening. But his third-quarter report, running through the end of September, showed he had raised $184,000 by then and had $146,000 left at that time.
Randolph’s campaign fourth-quarter 2015 campaign finance report also had not been publicly posted Sunday evening by the FEC.
But a representative of Randolph’s staff said the Randolph campaign had reviewed Soto’s reports, leading to their contention that the Randolph campaign had finished the year with more cash.
A third Democrat also reported a strong campaign bank account. Dr. Dena Minning finished the year with $150,000 raised, $21,000 spent and $129,000 left.
In a news release her campaign released, Randolph also said she had more than 1,700 individual contributors demonstrating “deep, grassroots ties to Central Florida and District 9.” Her average donation was $150.
“We need someone who is funded by the people and responsive to the people,” Randolph stated in the news release. “I am proud of our people-powered campaign!”
Among other Democrats in the race, Valleri Crabtree finished with about $28,000 raised, including about $12,000 she put in herself, and just $286 left.
End-of-2015 FEC reports were not yet available for former state Rep. Ricardo Rangel. In the previous quarter, he reported he had raised about $19,000, spent about $16,000 and had $3,123 left.
On the Republican side, Wanda Rentas reported she had raised almost $9,000, spent just over $2,000 and had $6,396 left at the end of 2015.
Republican Wayne Liebnitzky‘s fourth-quarter 2015 reports had not yet been posted by the FEC. Previously, he had reported raising just over $3,000, spending just over $2,000, and having $1,000 left.
