Spencer Fordin
Renier Diaz de la Portilla may have gotten a late jump on the race Miami-Dade County Commission District 5, but he’s nearly caught up to incumbent Eileen Higgins in fundraising.
Diaz de la Portilla raised $264,345 since May from 287 contributors, an average of $921 per contributor. Higgins, meanwhile, started fundraising in April of 2019 and has raised a total of $329,457.
The challenger is the brother of former Rep. and Sen. Alex de la Portila and former Sen. and County Commissioner Miguel Diaz de la Portilla. He has spent $217,810 during his campaign and still has $46,535 on hand.
Higgins, meanwhile, has spent $229,455 and has $100,002 remaining.
Higgins defeated Alex de la Portilla, the third-place finisher, in her 2018 election to the County Commission, and she has netted an average $355 per donation from her 928 contributors this time around.
She raised $14,596 from June 27 to July 10 and $17,020 from July 11 to July 17. Her spending has ramped up. Higgins spent $54,901 from June 27 to July 10 and $26,891 from July 11 to July 17.
Higgins paid MDW Communications $15,593 for direct mail on July 7 and $6,000 for digital communications consulting on July 8, and she paid Edge Communications $43,200 for advertising between July 9 and July 14.
Diaz de la Portilla raised $60,823 from 67 contributors between June 27 and July 10 and $24,320 in the most recent filing period. He spent $57,050 between June 27 and July 10 and $45,148 between July 11 and July 17.
The bulk of his expenditures have been on paid television spots with America CV Network. Diaz de la Portilla paid America CV Network a total of $98,621 in four payments between June 26 and July 17.
The third candidate in the race, businessman Miguel Soliman, trails the pack in fundraising. Soliman has raised $101,780 and spent $77,330, leaving $24,450 on hand.
Soliman raised $11,335 over the last two filing periods, but he’s spent $25,086 during the corresponding periods.
