Jacob Ogles
U.S. Rep. Greg Steube raised another six figures for his reelection campaign, and closed the first quarter with $375,564 cash on hand.
The Sarasota Republican in the first three months of 2021 collected $117,008 in contributions. Running in a deep-red district with token Democratic opposition, he likely won’t need to spend much of that.
North Port Democrat Dan Lambert has opened a Federal Elections Commission account, but has filed no report to date. Port Charlotte Democrat Andrew Bevan has filed paperwork with the state, but has not opened a federal account.
Notably, Allen Ellison, Steube’s Democratic opponent in 2018 and 2020, has filed as a U.S. Senate candidate this year.
The Greg Steube Victory Fund separately raised $39,004 in the first three months of the year and sent $34,891 of that to Steube’s reelection campaign.
In the donations to Steube’s coffers, the SEAL PAC, which supports conservative veterans, donated $2,500 to the former Army JAG officer.
Minority Whip Steve Scalise’s Eye of the Tiger PAC also kicked in $3,000. Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan sent a $1,000 check.
But individuals, including many Florida business leaders, make up most of the donor list for Steube’s campaign. Sarasota philanthropist (and brother to former Sen. Connie Mack) Dennis McGillicuddy wrote a $5,800 check and his wife Graci matched that amount.
NextOne executive Joel Schleicher also gave $5,800. Michael Neal, a construction manager at Neal Communities, donated $2,900.
Steube notably has appeared more regularly over the past two years on national cable outlets. He was elected to Congress in 2018 after an eight-year stint in the Florida Legislature, where he served in both the House and Senate.
He also was among the members of Congress featured at the Conservative Political Action Conference, which was held in Florida this year. He’s long been rumored to have ambitions to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate.
