Jacob Ogles
Fort Myers Mayor Randy Henderson pulled in another $71,385 in his bid for Congress.
That’s a lower amount than any of the other elected officials running in Florida’s 19th Congressional District raised in the first quarter of 2020.
But it brings his total amount raised to $139,777, a respectable amount as he looks to stand out from a crowded Republican field.
After spending $69,808 on the race, most of it in the first quarter, he began April with $69,195 in cash on hand.
Expenses have gone in part to video advertisement, including a controversial one in which the Republican Mayor promised to return a key to the city he gave Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar before she was elected to Congress.
Henderson outperformed his initial fundraising quarter in 2019, when he raised $68,392 before the close of 2019. He closed the most recent quarter with about $2,400 more in cash than he had at the start of the year.
In accordance with state resign-to-run law, Henderson submitted a resignation letter, effective in November regardless of whether he wins a seat in Congress.
Others, all state lawmakers, who are also running to succeed Rep. Francis Rooney, did better.
State Rep. Byron Donalds, a Naples Republican, joined the race in January and announced last week he raised $335,000.
State Rep. Dane Eagle, a Cape Coral Republican, after a strong first quarter, reported another $129,000 raised in the first quarter of 2020.
State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen, a Fort Myers Republican who has run in the same area as Henderson for years, pulled in $79,240 for the quarter.
A number of political outsiders are also aggressively raising.
Most notably, fast food mogul Casey Askar jumped into the race just 11 days before the end of quarter. But he managed to raise more than $500,000 in that time, and has loaned his campaign $3 million.
Dr. William Figlesthaler, a Naples physician, raised almost $152,000 and loaned himself another $650,000.
