Drew Wilson
The three Democrats running for governor are in the middle of a slow fundraising month according to recently updated reports from their political committees.
Though Gwen Graham and Chris King haven’t set the world on fire, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum continues to flounder on the fundraising trail, and unless the specter of his email scandal or the cloud of his tangential connection to a Tallahassee FBI investigation magically disappear his contributions are likely to remain flat.
The first-in Democrat hasn’t brought in a dime through “Forward Florida” since July 14. That $10,000 contribution came from homemaker Lu-Shawn Thompson and made up the whole of the committee’s income that month.
His expenses haven’t slowed as quickly. Since Aug. 1, Forward Florida has spent about $70,000. The Florida Democratic Party received $65,000 of money, with the remainder split among various fees for software, shipping and travel.
King’s committee, “Rise and Lead Florida,” shows only a single $1,000 check from Winter Park Marketer Ross Johnston so far this month, while its expenses clock in at about $60,000.
FDP took in $50,000 from the committee, with another $2,000 heading to Coral Gables-based Martinez Consulting Group and the remainder split across travel, shipping and mileage reimbursements, though SD 40 Democratic nominee Annette Taddeo received a $500 contribution from the committee.
Graham has been the fundraising leader in the Democratic Primary for a while, and though her August numbers aren’t record breaking, her competition has kept the bar low.
“Our Florida” has brought in $54,500 since the start of the month, including $25,000 from BLS Investments CEO Bernard Schwartz, $10,000 from health care software entrepreneur Michael Singer of Alachua, and $5,000 a piece from homemaker Alina De La Cruz and retiree Michael Beebe.
The committee’s expenses are only at $4,000 so far, with the bulk of that going to Atlanta-based credit card processing company First Data.
Current data puts the committees’ on hand totals at $1.73 million for Our Florida, $525,000 for Rise and Lead Florida, and about $139,000 for Forward Florida.
Campaign finance reports for the full month are due Sept. 11.
