Jacob Ogles
Candidates continue to accrue cash in an open state House seat around rural Sebring.
After raising $13,850 in August, citrus grower Ned Hancock maintained a lead in contributions in House District 55.
But land-use attorney Kaylee Tuck continued steady fundraising herself, pulling in $8,950 in August.
Hancock to date has raised $65,375 to Tuck’s $59,150. Minus expenses in both camps and Hancock has $64,506 in cash while Tuck holds $55,099. If dollars truly measure support, the financials suggest the GOP primary between the two next year will be one of the closest House battles in the state.
Hancock entered the race in June, the same month as Tuck. The two Republicans have stayed close to one another as far as fundraising activity.
There are clear differences in the source of dollars.
Hancock continues to draw support from agriculture industry professionals. Ranchers and farmers like John Sizemoer of Sizemore Farms in Plant City, Cornelius Myers of Myers Groves in Lake Wales and Lisa Marie Crutchfield of Crutchfield Groves in Sebring all made donations of $1,000 to Hancock’s campaign. So did Buckhorn Groves, Buckhorn Ranch, and Myers Groves. Other professional ranchers made smaller donations as well.
There’s real estate professionals as well, such as John Rood, chairman of The Vestcor Companies in Jacksonville. But the financial force behind Hancock hails from his own industry.
Tuck, meanwhile, draws from individuals interested in commercial development. Auto dealer Alan Wildstein of Sebring donated $1,000. So did road building firm Anderson Columbia out of Lake City.
Political players like Paul Mitchell of Southern Strategy Group Florida also gave to Tuck. And HNTB Holdings, a political committee chaired in Florida by Brightline executive Adrian Share, gave $1,000 as well.
Hancock also picked up a $1,000 check from Sunshine State Conservatives, a political committee chaired by William Jones.
Democratic State Committeeman Tony Munnings, Sr., the only other candidate in the District 55 race, has yet to report any campaign finance activity.
