Scott Powers
Democrat Patricia Sigman continued to raise money and take in party support in late July as if she were trying to keep pace with Republican Jason Brodeur rather than the three Democrats she must defeat first if she wants to face him in the Senate District 9 election.
Sigman, the employment lawyer from Altamonte Springs, pulled in $38,075 just during the last week in July for her independent United For Change committee, and another $4,599 for her official campaign. That easily swamps the other three Democrats who will be competing with her in the Aug. 18 Democratic primary.
In addition, her official campaign received $44,493 in-kind from Democratic committees seeking to back her, according to the latest Florida Division of Elections campaign finance reports, covering the week of July 25-31.
Meanwhile, Brodeur, the former state Representative from Sanford, raised $31,500 for his independent committee during the week, and another $10,810 for his official campaign fund.
And his official campaign received $22,150 in-kind from Republican committees seeking to support him during the week.
In a little more than a week, the Democrats will square off, with Sigman facing lawyer Alexis Carter of Altamonte Springs, engineer Rick Ashby of Oviedo, activist H. Alexander Duncan of Geneva and activist Guerdy Remy of Altamonte Springs.
The district covers Seminole County and parts of southern Volusia County. The seat is open because Republican Sen. David Simmons is leaving due to term limits.
Sigman’s latest in-kind support included almost $35,000 worth of polling and research, $7,000 in staff support, and $1,200 in rent, all courtesy of the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
Some of that support was reimbursed by her independent committee, United For Change, which received a $25,000 check in July from Florida For All, and then sent a $20,000 check to the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.
To date, Sigman’s official committee has raised $230,820 since she entered the race in January, and spent all but $64,149 by July 31. She also has received $174,850 in-kind support from Democratic groups.
United For Change has now collected $253,590, and ended July with $227,430 left to spend.
Brodeur’s campaign committee and his independent committee, Friends of Jason Brodeur, have been raising and spending money for several years. The official campaign has taken in a total of $734,385 and entered August with $239,939 left. It also has received $22,150 in-kind from the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
To date, Brodeur’s campaign has received $342,495 in-kind, mostly from the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Friends of Jason Brodeur has raised $2.4 million, and entered August with $493,336 left.
As with Sigman, Brodeur’s unofficial committee also has been reimbursing state Republican committees for their in-kind support. In early July, the Friends of Jason Brodeur Campaign sent a $60,000 check to the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Carter fueled his campaign early last fall, but has raised little since state Democratic leaders recruited Sigman to run in January. He has raised $30,496 to date, including $275 in the last week of July. On July 31, he reported having $26,330 in the bank.
Duncan raised $717 in the last week in July, bringing his campaign’s total raised to $7,731. He entered July with $2,572 left in the bank.
Remy picked up $1,010 in the last week in July and has now raised $6,507 and lent her campaign another $5,800. She entered August with $3,045 in the bank.
Ashby did not pick up any money the last week in June. He has raised $663 and lent his campaign $3,092. He entered August with $2,198 in the bank.
