Matt Gaetz says he’s raised $350K in first 10 days for congressional bid

Matt Gaetz

Rep. Matt Gaetz‘s campaign said Monday his U.S. House bid is picking up steam quickly, raising $350,000 during his first 10 days, including a $100,000 commitment from Gaetz himself.

Gaetz is running for Congressional District 1, an open seat incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller is exiting after announcing his retirement from Congress in March.

The Gaetz camp touted the big fundraising figures as a sign of strength in the deep-red district.

“Northwest Floridians are clearly ready for principled conservative reform. Our campaign is building a solid infrastructure of volunteers and resources to get the job done,” said Gaetz in a news release. “I want to thank the dozens of volunteers, hundreds of local donors and thousands of followers on social media who are already helping us share the virtue of strong citizens and limited government. We are eager to add even more folks to the team in the coming weeks and months.

“I’m fully committed to take the fight to Washington and stand up for Northwest Florida’s values. Whether it’s securing our border, eradicating Muslim terrorists, supporting our veterans, protecting 2nd Amendment rights, repealing Obamacare, or balancing the budget, I will fight to restore America,” said Gaetz, a Fort Walton Beach Republican.

The announcement comes after first quarter fundraising totals are required to be reported to the Federal Elections Commission on April 15 for all money raised between Jan. 1 and March 31.

Gaetz originally declared a run for the state Senate seat occupied by his father, former Senate President Don Gaetz, but Miller’s announcement he would retire from Congress led to a pivot to the federal seat. Gaetz had already raised money in the high six-figures for his state legislative campaign.