HD 120 Democrat Clint Barras continues General Election cash surge, adds another $86K

Democratic candidate Clint Barras has now raised more than $200,000 for his House District 120 bid after he took in more than $86,000 in the latest two-week fundraising period alone.

The newest reports submitted to the Division of Elections cover activity from Sept. 19-Oct. 2. Barras’ Republican opponent, Jim Mooney, raised nearly $46,000 during the same span. That falls around $40,000 short of the Democrat’s total.

Mooney only came that close due to a $25,000 donation from the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee. More than half of his two-week fundraising total came from that single check.

For the first time this cycle, Barras has surpassed Mooney in total money raised. Barras has added more than $209,000 overall as compared to nearly $191,000 for Mooney.

Mooney emerged from a three-way primary to secure the GOP nomination in HD 120. That contest required Mooney to begin actively fundraising much earlier.

Barras, meanwhile, was unopposed on the Democratic side. His fundraising operation has shifted into overdrive since the General Election contest began.

Barras has turned to out-of-state donors to provide that influx of cash. In the latest reports, just 168 of the whopping 6,181 individual donations to Barras’ campaign were from inside Florida. That’s less than 3% of donations.

Looking at the cash raised, around $11,600 — or 13.5% — of the $86,000 raised came from Florida donors. Barras’ newest reports showed an average contribution of just under $14 per donor.

Mooney mostly courted his money from inside Florida, though relied on larger donations. The biggest was that $25,000 check from House Republicans. Excluding that, Mooney raised more than $18,000 through his campaign account for an average of $612 per donation. Included in that pot was a $1,000 donation from GOP Rep. Paul Renner‘s political committee, Conservatives for Principled Leadership.

The Florida GOP contributed more than $17,000 to Mooney’s campaign in the form of in-kind contributions such as staffing and photography work. Barras received less than $1,900 in equivalent contributions from the Florida Democratic Party. The party helped Barras with staffing in that case.

Mooney’s PC, Friends of Jim Mooney, brought in $2,500 during the period courtesy of a donation from Charley Toppino and Sons, a Key West contractor.

Barras also easily outspent Mooney during the period. Barras showed more than $60,000 in expenditures. About half of that pot went to Bergmann Zwerdling, a D.C.-based firm, for design and production costs. Barras also spent nearly $8,900 with Compete Digital on marketing expenses.

Mooney spent less one-third of Barras’ total, listing just over $19,000 in expenditures. Much of that money went toward advertising costs with various outlets.

Though Barras was much more active on the spending front, he still holds more cash than Mooney going forward. As of Oct. 2, Barras shows more than $130,000 still available. Mooney maintains just over $46,000.

GOP Rep. Holly Raschein is term-limited in HD 120, which covers Monroe County as well as parts of southern Miami-Dade County. Democrats are hoping to flip a seat which has long been in Republican control.

Candidates and political committees faced a Friday deadline to report all financial activity through Oct. 2.