John Rutherford hosting Jax fundraiser for Judson Sapp
Judson Sapp filed an amendment financial disclosure form showing that he did loan money to his campaign.

Sapp
The host committee includes several prominent Republicans.

Republican U.S. Rep. John Rutherford has already endorsed Judson Sapp in the crowded race for Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. Now he’s helping him on the fundraising trail.

Rutherford will host a fundraiser benefiting the Sapp campaign in his Jacksonville-based district March 20. The River Club at 1 Independent Dr. will serve as the venue for the noon lunch reception.

An event invitation lists several other prominent Republicans as co-chairs, including former U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, former Senate President Mike Haridopolos, former Sen. Jim Horne, former Rep. Lake Ray.

Carroll and Stearns, who represented CD 3 through 2013, have already publicly endorsed Sapp. Other high-profile nods have come in from U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, Bradford County Sheriff Gordon Smith and Putnam County Sheriff Gator DeLoach, among others.

Sapp filed for CD 3 several months ago, but his campaign took on new meaning following current CD 3 U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho’s announcement that he wouldn’t seek reelection.

The announcement, combined with Sapp’s solid fundraising numbers and experience running for the seat in 2018, thrust Sapp to the front of the pack.

The field has grown substantially since then, however.

The crop of GOP contenders also includes former Yoho staffer Kat Cammack, former Gainesville City Commissioner Todd Chase, Ocala Mayor Kent Guinn, Clay County Commissioner Gavin Rollins, North Central Florida physician James St. George and businesswoman Amy Pope Wells.

The fundraiser invitation is below.

Drew Wilson

Drew Wilson covers legislative campaigns and fundraising for Florida Politics. He is a former editor at The Independent Florida Alligator and business correspondent at The Hollywood Reporter. Wilson, a University of Florida alumnus, covered the state economy and Legislature for LobbyTools and The Florida Current prior to joining Florida Politics.


4 comments

  • David H Horne

    February 21, 2020 at 8:32 pm

    This is great! What a wonderful man Judson Sapp is! Wish I was in his district. I would vote for him in an instant and I wholly endorse his candidacy for Congress. He should win handily and be a marvelous addition to the delegation from North Florida.

  • Michael Horne

    March 3, 2020 at 1:38 pm

    I think it is great that people other than Daddy Sapp are donating to his campaign now. Onward and Upward!

    Honestly, anybody but Kat the Karpetbagger.

  • Sonja Emily Fitch

    March 4, 2020 at 6:02 am

    THERE ARE NO GOOD AND DECENT REPUBLICANS. VOTE DEMOCRAT 2020.

  • Matt Baker

    March 4, 2020 at 10:13 am

    Judson will be remembered as the Bloomberg of this race except he did not earn the money that he will spend to lose.

    What he does have in common with Mini Mike is that he is being taken by an inexperienced charlatan who portrays himself as a “top tier” consultant.

Comments are closed.


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