Drew Wilson
Orlando Democrat Anna Eskamani raised $11,570 for her House District 47 campaign last month, putting her to-date fundraising total over $150,000.
Helping her achieve the milestone were more than 80 small-dollar donors who chipped in $100 or less. She also took in four checks for $1,000, the maximum contribution for legislative campaigns.
Top donors included Orlando Professional Firefighters, Ruth’s List, and retirees Dennis Rees and Marsh Laufer.
The December numbers make for $150,916 raised in six months. After spending $6,703 in December she closed out 2017 with $115,227 in her campaign account.
Eskamani, a first-time candidate, is up against Winter Park Republican businessman Stockton Reeves for the seat currently held by incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Miller, who is running for Congress.
Reeves added $250 last month and spent $1,230.
He has $90,077 on hand, thanks to a $90,000 loan he made to his campaign in August. Without the loan, Reeves’s total fundraising is just $6,170, and with expenditures measuring in at $6,092 to date, he may be looking to not spending his personal money on the race.
HD 47 covers much of north and central Orange County including downtown Orlando. The district has a near even split between registered Republicans and Democrats.
The seat was held by now-Sen. Linda Stewart, a Democrat, before Miller flipped it in 2014. He hung on to the seat with a 53-47 win over Democrat Beth Tuura in 2016. The same cycle saw Democrat Hillary Clinton carry the district over President Donald Trump’s 53-40.
