Nick DiCeglie raises $100K in May for Senate bid

Senate District 24 candidate Nick DiCeglie raised $100,435 in May as he looks to succeed incumbent Sen. Jeff Brandes, who is vacating the seat because of term limits.

DiCeglie raised the money between his campaign and affiliated political committee, Economic Freedom Committee. His campaign raised $59,935 last month, and his committee brought in $40,500 in the same period. 

His campaign reported 122 donors in May, including about 40 donations worth $1,000. The $1,000 drops included PACs such as the Defending Conservatism and Democracy committee, the Florida Insurance Council, the Florida Farmers and Ranchers Union and Citizens for Building Florida’s Future. He received a $1,000 donation from Alen Tomczak, a candidate running to succeed DiCeglie in HD 66.

DiCeglie’s campaign account also received $1,000 from Rep. Mike Giallombardo’s affiliated PAC, Friends of Mike Giallombardo and $500 from Rep. Linda Chaney’s committee, Friends of Linda Chaney.

The candidate’s political committee saw 10 donors, including a $15,000 contribution from Conservative Florida PAC, and another $12,500 from Conservatives for a Better Florida. In addition to those larger drops, the committee also received a $5,000 donation from Lema Construction, $2,500 from developer Reza Yazdani and $500 from St. Petersburg City Council member Ed Montanari.

DiCeglie’s campaign dished out $2,698 in May between processing fees and social media consulting services. His political committee spent $4,156 in the same span period on fundraising consulting and account fees.

Between his campaign and committee, DiCeglie has raised a total of $373,155. He will enter June with about $350,000 cash on hand.

DiCeglie was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in the 66th District in 2018. He was reelected in 2020.

DiCeglie was the first candidate to officially jump into the race and faces challenger Timothy J. Lewis, who has so far not raised any funds in the race.

Fellow Republican and former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker is also considering a bid.

The match-up would make for an interesting GOP primary, with DiCeglie bringing with him to the campaign trail the institutional knowledge from serving in the Legislature for four years, while Baker would likely come with stronger name recognition from his time as Mayor and from his failed 2017 bid to reclaim that office.