A.G. Gancarski
The big news in the HD 11 race in Duval and Nassau Counties: a candidate in the 6 person GOP field, Donnie Horner, has finally crossed the $100,000 barrier.
Horner has raised $101,525 in his campaign.
“I am honored by the continued support from so many in our community who have stepped up to help our campaign,” Horner said. “If I am entrusted with the honor of serving our community, I will stand up for the taxpayers and against the political insiders who view public office as a way to help themselves instead of a sacred duty to serve We The People. I will be a strong advocate for the conservative principles that will continue to make Florida the best place live, work and raise a family.”
Horner, who raised over $10,000 in February, has about $82,000 on hand. Among the donors: Donna Barrow, a Lenny Curry staffer, who went $500 in, and Nancy Chartrand, wife of Gary, who maxed out.
Horner’s closest competition in the fundraising derby, Sheri Treadwell, has raised just over $88,000, after a second straight $10,000 month. She has spent roughly $10,000 so far, a number offset by a loan early in the campaign. The loan gives Treadwell a cash on hand advantage.
Big name donors this month: John Baker, Demetree Enterprises, and Peter Bragan, Jr., the longtime owner of the Jacksonville Suns.
One could interpret the “political insiders who view public office” quote from Horner as a jab at Treadwell, who runs for office while working part time at the Duval County Property Appraiser’s office, after having followed her boss, Jerry Holland, over from the Supervisor of Elections office this summer.
It will be interesting to see who takes his or her gloves off first in this race. Other candidates, meanwhile, are struggling to hit the fundraising markers of the big two.
Tom Taylor has just $15,000 on hand, after an underwhelming $3,700 haul in February. Barry Holloway, when one takes a $10,000 personal loan out of the calculation, has just $3,000 on hand, with a second straight month of no fundraising.
Cord Byrd, with his February numbers still pending, has about $23,000 on hand as of the end of January. Jack Daniels has eschewed fundraising, and seems to run his campaign out of his wallet.
