Ryan Nicol
Senate District 39 candidate Ana Maria Rodriguez ended 2019 by adding another $87,500 to her effort. That means the Republican has collected nearly $600,000 since entering the SD 39 race in July.
That number jumps to more than $675,000 when looking at Rodriguez’ 2019 as a whole. She had courted another $80,000 prior to July in anticipation of defending her House District 105 seat before swapping races.
That’s well ahead of the pace set by her Democratic opponent, Javier Fernandez. With a December haul of less than $4,000, he’s added just over $100,000 since joining the contest in August between his campaign and Florida Future, a political committee supporting his bid.
That doesn’t include Florida Future’s December numbers, which were not available as of this posting.
Like Rodriguez, Fernandez also serves in the House, representing District 114. When including money raised prior to joining the Senate race, Fernandez brought in more than $155,000 during 2019 as a whole. That still leaves him well short of Rodriguez’ yearly total.
Rodriguez is raising money both through her campaign and her political committee, Ethics and Honesty in Government.
The Rodriguez campaign collected $53,000 in December, while her PC added another $34,500.
She has gained significant support from Senate GOP leadership. That support has translated to several joint fundraising events.
Indeed, another fundraiser will be held in January to help Rodriguez’ fundraising momentum continue. That event will be hosted by Senate President Bill Galvano, President-designate Wilton Simpson and Senate Majority Leader Kathleen Passidomo.
Fernandez, meanwhile, has secured the backing of the entire Senate Democratic caucus. In November, Fernandez also secured support from Forward Florida, a political committee run by former Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum.
The good bit of fundraising news for Rodriguez was buffered by a new round of endorsements Friday. Several local officials from Miami-Dade municipalities announced they are backing Rodriguez.
Included on that list are Doral Councilmembers Digna Cabral and Pete Cabrera; Homestead Councilmen Sean Fletcher, Larry Roth and Stephen Shelley; Vice Mayor Luciano Suarez and Councilman Eric Diaz-Padron of West Miami; Florida City Vice Mayor R.S. Shiver; North Bay Village Commissioner Andreana Jackson; Medley Councilperson Griselia DiGiacomo; Miami Lakes Councilmember Luis Collazo; and El Portal Councilperson Vimari Roman.
State Sen. Anitere Flores, who currently represents SD 39, is term-limited after 2020. SD 39 covers all of Monroe County and part of Miami-Dade County.
Candidates and political committees faced a Friday deadline to report fundraising activity through the end of 2019.
