Ryan Nicol
Republican candidate Demi Busatta Cabrera retains a fundraising lead over her Democratic rival in House District 114.
Jean-Pierre Bado is the only Democratic candidate filed in the contest. Busatta Cabrera, a former legislative assistant to Sen. Anitere Flores, is the lone Republican in the race.
Busatta Cabrera added just under $11,000 in May, as fundraising in the region has slowed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In April, she showed $0 in contributions after she raised $1,000 in March.
That was a drop from Busatta Cabrera’s prior three months in the race. She started her campaign adding nearly $57,000 in December. In January, the Republican followed that up with another $23,000.
Her fundraising dipped in February, at just $4,500, but it’s unclear whether that was a blip or a permanent slowdown. By the time the coronavirus hit in March, Busatta Cabrera and several other candidates saw a more permanent slowdown.
A pair of Ray Rodrigues-linked political committees helped Busatta Cabrera boost her May total. Friends of Ray Rodrigues and Free Markets for Florida — which are both chaired by the now-Senate candidate — added $1,000 each to Busatta Cabrera’s coffers.
Renier Diaz de la Portilla — a Miami-Dade Commission candidate and a member of the famed Florida political family — also donated $1,000 to Busatta Cabrera in May.
She’s added just over $96,000 in the contest so far and has just under $60,000 still on hand.
Bado, meanwhile has raised just over $34,000 — and that’s including a one-month head start he had on Busatta Cabrera.
Bado raised nearly $5,000 in May. He has just over $20,000 in cash-on-hand, about one-third of Busatta Cabrera’s total.
Rep. Javier Fernández, who currently represents House District 114, is pursuing a Senate seat. The district covers portions of Miami-Dade County including Cutler Bay and South Miami.
Both Bado and Busatta Cabrera have qualified for the contest. Qualifying week began Monday and ends on Friday, June 12 at noon.
Candidates and political committees faced a Wednesday deadline to report all financial activity through May 31.
