Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
A North Florida state Senate race is pulling in big money.
Keith Perry and Rod Smith have raised a combined $712,000 in Senate District 8. The race pits two well-known commodities against one another in the November general election.
State records show Perry, a state representative since 2010, raised $16,760 between July 23 and July 29. The one-week fundraising haul brought his total fundraising to $330,237.
The Gainesville Republican received $1,000 donations from The Celebration Company, Disney Photo Imaging, Disney Vacation Development, and the Walt Disney Travel Company.
Perry spent $8,299 during the one-week fundraising period and ended the period with $190,326 cash on hand.
Perry will face Smith, the former chairman of the Florida Democratic Party, who raised $12,435 in the one-week fundraising period. He received $1,000 donations from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, ABFD LCC, and Ashbritt, Inc.
The Alachua Democrat spent $3,740 in the one-week period. He ended the fundraising period with more $33,579 in the bank.
