Peter Schorsch
Congressional candidates Al Lawson and Annette Taddeo out-raised and outspent their Democratic Primary opponents over the last two months, according to newly filed campaign finance reports.
Lawson is running against longtime Democratic Rep. Corrine Brown in Florida’s 5th Congressional District, which was redrawn to run from Gadsden County in the west to Jacksonville in the east.
The former Florida senator netted about $49,000 in contributions between July 1 and Aug. 10, and spent $102,000, leaving him with about $120,000 on hand. Brown’s report shows about $14,000 in contributions and $89,000 in spending for less than $25,000 in the bank Aug. 10.
Among Lawson’s contributions was a $1,500 check from Sachs Media head Ron Sachs, and a $1,000 check from Tallahassee lobbyist Brian Ballard. U.S. Sugar also donated $2,500 to the campaign. Brown’s 14 contributions included $250 from former Florida Rep. Cynthia Chestnut.
In Florida’s 26th Congressional District, Taddeo, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor two years ago, raised $151,000 and spent $525,000 during the reporting period, leaving her with $248,000 on hand. Former U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, who held the seat from 2013 through 2015, raised $69,000 and spent $175,000 for an on-hand total of $306,000 on Aug. 10.
Taddeo picked up numerous small-dollar donations from Emily’s List, as well as through the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue.
The winner of the CD 26 primary will face Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo, who is sitting on nearly $2 million in campaign cash. The new CD 26 has a slight Democratic majority and voted plus-11 for Barack Obama four years ago. The new CD 5 has an overwhelming Democratic majority and will go to the winner of the Brown-Lawson race.
