Scott Powers
State Rep. Randolph Bracy brought in more than $14,000 in the latest campaign finance reporting period and heads into the last 60 days of the Senate District 11 race with a commanding money advantage over his three Democratic rivals.
Bracy’s campaign reported he had nearly $63,000 in the bank, while his three Aug. 30 Democratic primary opponents each had less than $10,000.
There are no Republicans, independents or write-in candidates running in the district.
That belies the notion, however, that Chuck O’Neal, a high-profile environmental activist, may have the financial ability to pump up his own campaign fund with loans, as he did when he first entered the race this winter when he poured in $60,000. O’Neal, of Apopka, spent $14,696 in the period ending June 24, mostly for staff, and ended the period with $8,782. O’Neal raised just $1,200 from others in the first 24 days of June.
Former state Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando raised $1,000 and spent $11,000, mostly on advertising and consulting, leaving him with $8,831.
Former state Rep. Bob Sindler, also a former Orange County commissioner from Orlando, raised $2,050 and finished the period with $5,602. Sindler also has largely self-funded his campaign thus far, though on a more modest scale than O’Neal. Sindler has lent his campaign $10,500, while raising $7,203 from others.
Bracy, of Oakland, raised thousands of dollars in the period from gaming and alcohol interests in June, taking in a total of $14,650 in the reporting period, while spending $7,696, mostly on advertising and his filing fee.
