Scott Powers
Kissimmee businesswoman and college instructor Valleri Crabtree has reported raising $34194 in her bid for the Democratic nomination in Orlando-based Congressional District 9, though only $1,500 in the first quarter of 2016.
She reported ending the first quarter on March 31 with just $1,256 in the bank, and more than $24,000 in debts, mostly to herself.
Crabtree is running a shoe-leather campaign against three far-better funded Democrats, Dr. Dena Minning, who reported a earlier this week that she raised $160,000 in the quarter and had $275,000 in the bank; and state Sen. Darren Soto and Susannah Randolph, who have not yet reported their first-quarter campaign finances. Both Soto and Randolph already were over $200,000 in their 2015 campaign finance reports.
Crabtree’s campaign is fueled mainly by in-kind contributions and loans from herself and small contributions. More than half of her contributions are of $50 or less. She also has received about $5,500 of her contributions from out-of-state, including $3,300 from friends, family and other supporters in Ohio.
All are seeking to succeed Minning’s fiancé and Randolph’s former boss, Democratic U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando, who is running for Florida’s open U.S. Senate seat rather than for re-election.
