Staff Reports
Matt Caldwell brought in more than $100,000 in less than a month, his campaign announced this week.
The North Fort Myers Republican raised $101,1575 for his 2018 agriculture commissioner bid during a 20-day period in May. While Caldwell filed to run for the statewide office May 1, he did not begin fundraising until after the 2017 Legislative Session ended.
Caldwell will report ending the month with $100,458 cash on hand, according to his campaign. His political committee, Friends of Matt Caldwell, will report raising $712,825 since January. Caldwell’s one-month fundraising total was first reported by POLITICO Florida.
“I am truly humbled by the outpouring of support we have received and what we have been able to accomplish in our first month. When we announced our campaign, I said this would be a grassroots endeavor,” said Caldwell in a statement. “As I’ve spent the last month traveling from South Florida to the Panhandle, across major highways and two lane roads throughout rural Florida, I’m constantly reminded by the hardworking men and women in our great state of the importance of our conservative message. As the next Commissioner of Agriculture I will continue the legacy of Commissioners (Charles) Bronson and (Adam) Putnam, who have done spectacular jobs in this role.”
First elected to the Florida House in 2011, Caldwell can’t run for re-election again because of term limits. Republicans Sen. Denise Grimsley and Paul Paulson have also filed to run.
Grimsley announced she was running for the statewide office in February. Saving Florida’s Heartland, the political committee backing Grimsley, has raised about $488,500 since January.
