Drew Wilson
House candidate Ned Hancock is piling on cash in his bid to become House District 55’s next representative.
Hancock, a Republican citrus grower, entered the race in June, and has posted five-figure fundraising hauls in each of his first three campaign reports.
He finished August with more than $65,000 raised, nearly all of it still in the bank. Last month he nearly doubled that total with more than $61,000 in contributions during the 30-day reporting period.
Hancock’s report is not yet available through the Florida Division of Elections, though his campaign said he started October with nearly $124,000 cash on hand.
“Tammy and I are grateful for the encouragement, prayers, and financial support our friends and neighbors have so generously offered since launching this campaign,” he said in a news release announcing the haul.
“We are excited to continue growing our base of support, and look forward to representing Florida’s Heartland in Tallahassee.”
Hancock is one of two Republicans vying to replace Avon Park GOP Rep. Cary Pigman, who cannot run for reelection next year due to term limits.
Kaylee Tuck is also seeking the Republican nomination.
Through August, she was keeping pace with Hancock in fundraising, with $59,150 in contributions and another $5,000 in candidate loans. She’s spent a fair bit more, though, starting September with about $55,000 banked.
Tuck has not announced her September numbers, which aren’t due until next week.
HD 55 includes all of Glades, Highlands and Okeechobee counties as well as part of St. Lucie County. The district has a Republican edge — Pigman earned 66 percent of the vote in his 2018 campaign against Democratic nominee Audrey Asciutto.
The seat has drawn a Democratic hopeful, however. Tony Munnings entered the race in early May, but has yet to report any campaign contributions.
