Ryan Nicol
Homestead Mayor Steven Losner is backing Rhonda Rebman Lopez in the three-way GOP primary for House District 120.
“Rhonda’s unrivaled tenacity is what our city will need in the coming years,” Losner said in a statement announcing his pick.
The district covers all of Monroe County as well as parts of southern Miami-Dade County, including Homestead. Lopez is competing for the Republican nod against Islamorada Councilman and former Mayor Jim Mooney and attorney Alexandria Suarez.
“While most of the district is within the Florida Keys, the person who next holds that position will be crucial to representing the interests of our community,” Losner added.
“In my view, though many of the individuals running are qualified, I feel as if Rhonda Rebman Lopez brings more to this elected position that impacts the community I serve. She is the only candidate with a clear understanding in our issues and has gotten to know the people of the mainland portion of the district.”
Much of the Republican establishment has lined up behind Mooney. Rep. Holly Raschein, who is vacating HD 120 due to term limits, endorsed Mooney as her preferred successor. Republican Sen. Anitere Flores, whose Senate District 39 covers much of the same territory as HD 120, is also backing Mooney.
Though Mooney has secured party support, Lopez has continued to rake in the cash. She topped the field in the latest reporting period, adding more than $3,700 from July 11-17. Mooney collected $3,500 while Suarez added $950.
While those margins were close, Lopez has easily topped the field in overall cash raised. She’s collected nearly $240,000 and has added another $35,000 in loans to her campaign. Lopez retains around $185,000 going forward.
Mooney has raised just over $106,000 and has $74,000 still on hand. Suarez has attracted more than $52,000 in outside cash and has around $42,000 remaining.
Clint Barras, the only Democrat in the contest, added nearly $2,000 in the latest reports and has raised just shy of $30,000 overall. He has around $24,000 in his campaign fund and will take on the winner of the Aug. 18 GOP primary.
