Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Francis Rooney gave his campaign another financial boost this week.
The Naples Republican gave his congressional campaign $636,754 on Aug. 15. The most recent cash infusion means Rooney has given his campaign more than $2.1 million since jumping into the race.
Rooney is vying to replace Rep. Curt Clawson in Florida’s 19th Congressional District. He’ll face Republicans Dan Bongino and Chauncey Goss in the Aug. 30 primary.
Records show Rooney received about $510,000 in individual contributions during the last fundraising period. He also gave his campaign $1.5 million during the same period.
Candidates only had about a month to raise campaign cash before the end of the second quarter. Clawson, who was first elected in a January 2014 special election, announced at the end of May he would not run for re-election.
The ability to essentially self-fund means Rooney is winning the money race. Goss, a Sanibel Island Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the seat in 2012, has raised $346,017. Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and a conservative radio host, has raised $84,289.
Contribution records filed with the Federal Election Commission show Bongino received a $5,000 contribution from RAND PAC on Aug. 13.
Rooney has been flooding the airwaves with advertisements, and a recent poll by Remington Research Group showed Rooney led the field with 45 percent support. Remington Research Group is connected to Axiom Consulting, which Rooney hired to do consulting work for his campaign.
