Scott Powers
In a contest to succeed her father, Democrat Amy Mercado raised $8,800 in April, sending a financial counterpunch toward Democratic primary challenger Alex Barrio, who entered the race in March and quickly outperformed her on the fundraising circuit.
Mercado’s April, her best month yet, along with $2,432 in expenditures, left her with $11,580 in the bank on May 1. Barrio raised $7,144 in April, but spent $4,983, and finished the month with slightly more cash than Mercado, at $12,346.
The two seek to succeed Mercado’s father, state Rep. Victor Torres, who is running for the Florida Senate rather than for re-election. There are no Republicans filed in the heavily Democratic-leaning district in south Orange County and northwest Osceola County. There is an independent, Gus Martinez, but he has raised only $405.
When Mercado and Torres announced their plans in January, the house district appeared to be hers for the taking, but Barrio quickly shook up that assumption by collecting more in his first month, $12,000, than Mercado had done in her first two and a half months. Barrio also is campaigning aggressively.
