Janelle Irwin Taylor
State Rep. Adam Hattersley’s re-election fundraising is off to a slow start.
Hattersley, a Riverview Democrat, raised just $7,700 since December, according to campaign finance records with the Florida Division of Elections, covering activity through April.
Hattersley, like other lawmakers who spent all of April in Tallahassee for the 2019 Legislative Session, didn’t raise a dime in April. He posted his biggest earnings to date in February when he raised $4,600. Hattersley raised $2,000 in March and $1,000 in December.
Hattersley’s contributions so far have come from the Florida Beer Wholesalers, the Florida Alliance for Better Government political committee run by veteran Democratic political consultant Screven Watson, TECO, the liberal Representative Democracy political committee and Miami personal injury lawyer Robert Rubenstein and his law firm.
Hattersley is going to have to step up his funding game heading into campaign season ahead of next year’s election. He’s facing credible opposition from Melissa Haskins, a Republican businesswoman who lives in Brandon.
Haskins announced she is running for the House District 59 seat Hattersley won last year. The GOP is anxious to reclaim the previously red district.
Haskins has strong name recognition in her community. She earned the title “honorary mayor” by raising $42,000 for local charities.
She also serves on several committees and boards including as President of the Board of Directors for the Emergency Care Help Organization of Brandon, the Valrico/FishHawk Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club of Brandon, the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and Community Roundtable
Haskins is a financial adviser for Edward Jones Investments. She filed at the beginning of May and does not yet have any financials posted. Haskins first financial report is due June 10.
Hattersley beat Republican Joe Wicker in the 2018 race for the East Hillsborough seat. It was one of only a handful of Tampa Bay Area districts to flip blue. Republican Congressman Ross Spano previously represented the district.
The District is considered a swing seat. Hattersley beat Wicker last year by just three points. Hattersley was quick to get back to campaigning, launching his own re-election campaign just one month after being elected.
The two candidates are running for Florida House District 59, which covers Brandon, Valrico and Riverview.
3 comments
Justice Joseph
May 13, 2019 at 7:04 pm
Dear Janelle,
I wish that you conducted accurate research before producing this article, so please understand the following. 1. Sitting Representatives can’t take donations during the session so they will not have fundraised in the last two months. 2. Rep. Hattersley won with a fraction of the fundraising of the Republican party so this is no measure of his strength as a candidate and therefore this article is irrelevant. 3. Rep. Hattersley is the best choice for this district and I am proud to have him as my representative.
Joe Farris
May 13, 2019 at 8:24 pm
Joseph, Adam is not right for our district. He hasn’t done a thing for this area. He’s a LOZER.
Bill
May 13, 2019 at 8:14 pm
Hattersley is going to get smoked. The guy can’t raise money because no one wants him re-elected. He’s only lived in the area for a two years.
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