Jackie Toledo reports highest fundraising period of 2020, brings in $48K

Republican incumbent Jackie Toledo reported her highest fundraising period of the year in the most recent finance report, giving her an edge over Democrat Julie Jenkins in the race for House District 60 as the General Election inches closer.

Rep. Toledo raked in $48,600 in the period spanning Aug. 22 through Sept. 4 — topped only by her October 2019 haul when Toledo brought in $71,900. Jenkins trailed Toledo this period, collecting $23,055.

Toledo’s donors this period included primarily PACs donating top $1,000 contributions. That includes donations from the Florida Rheumatology PAC, Florida Beer Wholesalers Good Government Committee, Duke Energy Corporation Florida PAC and Conservatives for a Better Florida.

Toledo also received a $500 donation from Dosal Tobacco Corporation, a notable donor considering Toledo’s efforts to raise the age for smoking in Florida. While that would appear to go against the company’s interests, tobacco companies would have likely benefitted from Toledo’s bill, which would have banned flavored vapes. Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed this bill this week.

The state Representative also received a hefty donation from the Republican Party of Florida, which gave a $25,000 boost to her campaign this period.

Jenkins’ finance period was made up mostly of individual donors, but it did include a $7,500 donation from the Florida Democratic Party.

Toledo, who entered the General Election stretch with $59,500 more than her opponent, has a hefty funding advantage with $183,280 cash on hand. So far, the incumbent has brought in $377,855 to her campaign, and has spent $194,573 total.

Jenkins, however, has $100,583 cash on hand, having only spent $22,221 since the start of her campaign, giving her ample room for spending as the election nears.

However, Jenkins will have a tough battle on her hands against Toledo, who has served as a popular Republican in the Legislature and who has become known for working across the aisle. During the 2019 Legislative Session, Toledo successfully brokered a texting while driving ban that made it a primary offense. This year, Toledo worked with Democrats to add LGBT protections to the Florida Competitive Workforce Act, an effort that failed despite bipartisan support.

Toledo was first elected to the HD 60 seat in 2016. In 2018, she was reelected with 52% of the vote, while Democratic opponent Debra Bellanti took 48% of the vote — a margin of about 3,650 votes. Jenkins is a long time community leader and advocate with deep roots in Tampa-based House District 60.

The district has a Republican lean — of its 128,590 voters, 48,310 are Republicans and 43,612 are Democrats. Independent voters are key in the race, with 35,201 voters registered with no party affiliation.