Ryan Nicol
Republican candidate Demi Busatta Cabrera raised another $19,200 as she looks to wrest the House District 114 seat from Democratic control.
Busatta Cabrera collected that money from Aug. 22-Sept. 4. Her campaign was flooded with money from various political committees during that period.
Conservatives for a Better Florida, which is run by future House Speaker Daniel Perez, donated $1,000 to Busatta Cabrera’s campaign. Miami United, another Perez PC, dropped another $1,000 into her campaign account.
Friends of Ray Rodrigues, the political committee associated with GOP Rep. Ray Rodrigues, donated $1,000 as well. PC’s associated with Exxon, the Dade County Police Benevolent Association and the pharmaceutical company Alkermes all pitched in $1,000 as well. In total, $12,500 of Busatta Cabrera’s most recent haul — or 65% — came from various PC’s.
She also received just over $2,500 in in-kind contributions from the Florida GOP for staff costs.
Her Democratic opponent, Jean-Pierre Bado, raised just over $6,400 from Aug. 22-Sept. 4. About half of that money came from donations of $250 or less. He has now collected more than $71,000 in outside money to aid his bid for the HD 114 seat. He’s also added $7,500 in loans to his campaign.
Busatta Cabrera has raised more than $140,000 in total. She retains more than $52,000 while Bado holds just under $11,000.
Bado was forced to cut into his cash fund to secure the Democratic nomination in HD 114. He narrowly defeated Susi Loyzelle in the Aug. 18 primary with 51% of the vote. Busatta Cabrera did not face a primary challenge, allowing her to hold much of her cash until the General Election cycle.
Bado is a West Point graduate who served in the U.S. Army. He now works as an attorney. Busatta Cabrera formerly worked as a legislative assistant for Republican Sen. Anitere Flores. She earned her law degree from the Florida State University College of Law.
HD 114 covers portions of Miami-Dade County including Cutler Bay, South Miami and West Miami. The seat is being vacated by Democratic Rep. Javier Fernández, who is pursuing a Senate bid.
Candidates and political committees faced a Friday deadline to report all financial activity through Sept. 4.
