Matt Gaetz to headline campaign kickoff for Jason Brodeur

Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz is the special invited guest headlining a Florida Senate campaign fundraiser for Republican former state Rep. Jason Brodeur.

The soiree’s host committee features Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

The fundraiser, set for the Alaqua Country Club in Longwood for Thursday evening, features a host committee with scores of current and former Republican officeholders, lobbyists and others, chaired by presumed next state Senate President Wilton Simpson and state Sen. David Simmons of Altamonte Springs, who currently holds the seat Brodeur is seeking.

Brodeur, of Sanford, is running for Senate District 9, which represents Seminole County and southwest Volusia County. Two Democrats have entered the contest: Justin Miller and Rick Ashby, both of Oviedo.

Contributions are being directed toward both Brodeur’s official campaign fund and the independent political committee Friends of Jason Brodeur, which has no maximum limit on contributions.

Among other members of various committees involved in the event are Seminole County’s Republican state Reps. Scott Plakon and David Smith; state Rep. David Santiago of southwest Volusia County; former Republican Party of Florida chair and state Rep. Blaise Ingoglia; former U.S. Rep. Ric Keller; former state Reps. Bob Cortes and Mike Miller; former House Speaker Steve Crisafulli; former state Rep. Matt Caldwell; Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma; Seminole County Property Appraiser David Johnson; Seminole County Tax Appraiser Joel Greenberg; Seminole County Commissioners Bob Dallari, Jay Zembower, and Amy Lockhart; Altamonte Springs Mayor Patricia Bates; Casselberry Mayor Charlene Glancy; Lake Mary Mayor David Mealor; Longwood Mayor Ben Paris; Oviedo Mayor Dominic Persampiere; Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett; and Winter Springs Mayor Charles Lacey; former Sheriff Don Eslinger; former Sanford Mayor Larry Dale.