Mitch Perry
Augie Ribeiro has a few disadvantages in his attempt to win the Senate District 19 race this summer.
The civil justice attorney is by far the least known of the four major candidates in the Democratic primary taking place Aug. 30. He got into the contest at nearly the last minute, filing just a day before qualifying ended, and he’s the only non-African-American in a minority-majority district.
However, he does have lots of cash.
Ribeiro announced today he has raised more than $100,000 since getting into the contest less than two weeks ago, an impressive feat. However, he’s also pouring in $300,000 of his own funds to be able to get his message out quickly.
“I knew, starting later in the cycle and without the support of special interests and lobbyists, that we would have to work hard to ensure our message was heard,” he said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. “The tremendous amount of support we have received to date, and the energy we are gaining, further strengthens my conviction that the voters are ready to have a new voice fighting for them in Tallahassee.”
Ribeiro is running against current state representatives Ed Narain and Darryl Rouson, and former state representative Betty Reed. The winner of the Aug. 30 Democratic primary is expected to win the seat outright in the fall against the Republican in the race, John Houman.
