Scott Powers
Republican David Smith has raised another $15,600 in his campaign for the Florida House District 28 seat being vacated by incumbent Republican state Rep. Jason Brodeur.
Smith’s April fundraising tally is his third straight strong month, following a $21,300 haul in March and $25,000 he lent his campaign to kick it off in late February. With about $7,200 spent on EM Campaigns of Tallahassee, Creative Direct of Virginia, Smith entered May with more than $54,700 in the bank.
His now lone Democratic opponent Lee Mangold of Casselberry raised just $775 since filing on April 24. Another Democrat who had filed, Devin Perez of Oviedo, withdrew last week.
HD 28 covers northeast Seminole County, including Smith’s home in Winter Springs.
Smith, 56, said he added 140 new donors to his base, including numerous veterans who work in Central Florida’s simulation and training industry, where the former Marine Corps colonel was once director of the Marine Corps’ modeling and simulation center at the University of Central Florida’s Research Park. Those donors, he said, include several general officers.
“What might be somewhat noteworthy is that my financial support is coming from friends, not big corporate donors or PACs. This was my strategy from the outset of the campaign in order to establish a solid ‘grass roots’ base of support,” Smith stated in an email to Orlando-Rising.com. ” I’m pleased with what we’ve accomplished at this early point in the campaign.”
