Stephanie Murphy raises $126K in 1st week of campaign to unseat John Mica

Democrat Stephanie Murphy announced Wednesday she raised $126,346 during the first week of her campaign to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica in Florida’s 7th Congressional District.

The Winter Park Democrat has not yet filed her report with the Federal Elections Commission, though she said the haul includes $11,000 in personal loans and that she had $115,551 cash on hand after expenditures.

Mica’s seat became more competitive after Florida courts approved new district lines at the end of 2015. The newly drawn toss-up district is now setting up to be a battleground in the fall, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee setting aside $3 million to spend on airtime against the incumbent Republican.

The veteran lawmaker has yet to file his quarterly report, though he finished the first quarter with nearly $640,000 on hand after raising $128,510 between Jan. 1 and the end of March.

The new CD 7, which covers northeastern Orange County and Seminole County, has slightly more registered Republicans than Democrats, though it handed President Barack Obama the slimmest of victories during the 2012 cycle.

Other Democrats fared better, however, with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson winning re-election over former U.S. Rep. Connie Mack IV by about 15 points.