Libertarian Alison Foxall touts fundraising, new endorsement in HD 72 race

Libertarian Alison Foxall is reporting she has now raised more than $30,000 in her bid for the House District 72 special election.

Also, the Foxall camp is touting a recommendation from YourObserver.com, which covers Sarasota, Longboat Key, Siesta Key and Lakewood Ranch. HD 72 includes northern Sarasota and parts of southern Manatee counties.

“Given the exasperating, depressing climate that engulfs elections and the making of public policy, and given the bromidic, banal dogma of the major party candidates,” writes Observer editor and CEO Matt Walsh, “it would be refreshing to send an independent alternative to Tallahassee.”

“Perhaps District 72 voters will have the courage to embrace that message.”

Whether the endorsement moves any votes in Tuesday’s election is anyone’s guess, but every ballot could very well count in what is expected to be a tight battle between Democrat Margaret Good and Republican James Buchanan. 

Recent polling on the race has Buchanan with a slight lead over Good, 49 to 46 percent; Foxall is at 3 percent.

In a statement, Foxall waxed rhapsodic over the recommendation:

“Thank you to The Observer for evaluating all three candidates equally and ending with a bold statement.

“In 2018, the stakes are high with many people tuning in ‐‐ not just in Sarasota County, but around Florida and even the country. Libertarians are not stuck on the old way of doing things, and The Observer picked up on it.

“This election isn’t a referendum on [Donald] Trump; this is a referendum on the old two‐party system. I’m grateful The Observer ‐‐ the only media outlet that has endorsed a candidate ‐‐ saw through the big money, the attack ads and the big names from D.C. politics that have shown up in the 11th hour.”

The special election was called after Republican incumbent Alex Miller stepped down from the seat unexpectedly last September.

Foxall’s campaign is saying she has now raised $30,847 in the race, which they claim surpasses the previous record for any Libertarian candidate running for the House or Senate.

Libertarian Carl J. Strang raised $27,767 in a bid for the state Senate District 17 race in 1998.

Neither Buchanan nor Good have reported the latest updates in fundraising. Including contributions from her political committee, Good has raised the most money in the race with $290,314, compared to Buchanan’s $282,630.

The election takes place Feb. 13.