Spencer Fordin
Republican Rep. candidate Rhonda Rebman Lopez has spent more than any of her fellow candidates for House District 120. But she still has more cash remaining than all her rivals put together.
Lopez has raised $242,130 and furnished her campaign with an additional $35,000 in loans. She’s also spent $133,159 so far, leaving $143,971 in her campaign coffers as the Aug. 18 primary approaches.
Fellow Republican Jim Mooney, who has been endorsed by outgoing HD 120 Rep. Holly Raschein and Sen. Anitere Flores, has $59,123 remaining.
The third Republican candidate, Alexandria Suarez, has $15,834 in cash available.
The race’s lone Democratic candidate, Clint Barras, has $26,069 remaining.
Lopez has been endorsed by the Everglades Trust and the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, but her fundraising has to just $6,405 over the last two filing periods.
By contrast, Lopez has seen some of her heaviest spending in the last month. She spent $28,594 between July 11 and July 17 and an additional $43,206 between July 18 and 24. Much of that money — more than $40,000 — was paid to Groundswell Strategies for governmental consulting and media and direct mail.
Her campaign also paid $12,500 to the United States Postal Service for postage.
Mooney, the former Mayor of Islamorada, has raised $108,644 and spent $49,521. Like Lopez, he has raised less and spent more as the primary draws near. Mooney raised $5,900 combined over the last two filing periods and spent $11,816 between July 11 and July 17 and $17,312 between July 18 and July 24.
His campaign paid $11,500 to Mentor Media Services for advertising on July 13 and $7,500 to Campaign Insights for polling on July 23. Mooney also paid $5,418 to Stoneridge Group for direct mail and printing.
His political committee, Friends of Jim Mooney, tat has raised $2,500, but spent nothing.
Suarez, an attorney, has raised $52,756 and spent $36,922 on her campaign.
She’s raised a total of $1,250 over the last two filing periods and spent $26,807 from July 18 to July 24. All of the expenditures were paid to Front Line Strategies for campaign marketing material.
Suarez also has a political committee, Friends of Alexandria Suarez, with an additional $2,500 in cash on hand.
Barres, running unopposed in the Democratic primary, has raised $31,775 and spent $5,706. He spent just $44 over the last two filing periods, but he raised $1,931 from July 11 to July 17 and $2,233 from July 18 and July 24.
HD 120 covers Monroe County as well as parts of southern Miami-Dade County.
