Tim Canova says campaign nearing $100K in first week of April fundraising

Tim Canova (YouTube)

Florida Congressional candidate Tim Canova said in an appeal to supporters his underdog campaign to oust DNC Chairwoman U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is continuing to “shock the political establishment” with its fundraising.

The law professor and former aide to U.S. Sen. Paul Tsongas raised a whopping $557,000 during the first quarter of 2016, and said Thursday his campaign is nearing six figures in the opening week of Q2.

“It’s been four days since we shocked the political establishment by almost out-raising an incumbent as powerful as Debbie Wasserman Schultz. They never believed it was possible that we could come from behind to close the money gap and make this a real race, but we’re proving that grassroots activists have the power to take back our democracy,” said Canova.

“[T]oday, we have an opportunity to hit an ambitious goal that will once again shock the establishment — we’re close to raising more than $100,000 raised from 5,000 individual contributions in just the first seven days of the month,” he continued.

Canova is swimming upstream in his South Florida 23rd Congressional District race against “DWS,” as the six-term incumbent is known in Democratic political circles. He aims to tap into popular dissatisfaction with the national Democratic party. Many on the left are up in arms over the DNC’s stance toward Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. They perceive he’s gotten short shrift from establishment Dems even as he continues to rack up wins in national primaries and caucuses.

Canova even signed his appeal the way Sanders does: “In solidarity,” a nod to radical and labor movements for whom the phrase is an expression of common purpose over powerful industrial and political interests.

“This would be an astounding accomplishment,” Canova said of the potential fundraising milestone. “It will also be difficult to achieve frankly, but we’ve run the math and believe it is possible if supporters like YOU step up today. If we hit this goal, we can prove to the establishment and the media that this campaign is not a flash in the pan — that we are a real movement and we are ready to win.”

“When thousands of people come together around a common purpose, there is nothing we cannot accomplish. We are truly the grassroots and I’m honored to stand with you in this people-powered campaign,” Canova concluded.

Canova and Wasserman Schultz will face off in a Democratic primary for the Broward and Palm Beach-based congressional district on Aug. 30.