John Rutherford political committee brings in $54K in Q2

“Conservatives United,” a political committee associated with 4th Congressional District Republican John Rutherford, raised $54,400 from eight donors in the second quarter of 2016, according to its FEC filing.

The donors list for the committee includes many of the usual suspects. However, the amounts weren’t what some observers might have expected.

Ed Burr, chair of the Jacksonville Civic Council, was the leading donor, giving $15,000.

Thomas Petway III and Robert Coker, an executive with U.S. Sugar, both gave $10,000.

Beyond those donors, there were a few donations under $10,000.

Gate Petroleum, the company of former Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton (whose terms as mayor ran concurrently with Rutherford’s first two terms as sheriff), ponied up just $2,500. Mike Hightower, the GOP legend who is now public affairs head for JEA, gave the same.

The most anomalous donation was $5,400 from former Jaguars’ owner Wayne Weaver.

Not on the list? Peter Rummell.

Rummell, one of the most deep-pocketed donors in Jacksonville history, called Rutherford a man of “enormous integrity” in April, in a Florida Times-Union article many locally saw as an attempt to clear the field.

Yet Rummell and others who seemed like they would be on the list of donors were not.

Despite the modest PAC haul, Rutherford has $255,000 in hard money on hand, so he has resources to go forward. However, the PAC money is necessary to message against Hans Tanzler, who is emerging as the other plausible candidate in the race, and other opponents if they show strength.