Jason Fischer expands fundraising lead in Florida Senate race

He's coming home: Jason Fischer is running for Duval County Property Appraiser.

Three third-term state lawmakers from Jacksonville are vying for term-limited Aaron Bean‘s seat in the state Senate, and House District 16 Rep. Jason Fischer continues to build a fundraising advantage ahead of the August 2022 Republican primary.

Fischer added $21,250 to his Friends of Jason Fischer account, pushing his total cash on hand for the political committee close to $780,000. Former Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver was among the $5,000 donors to the Southside Republican’s committee account.

Donors also contributed $6,350 to Fischer’s campaign account, which now has over $103,000 on hand.

A second Fischer committee has roughly $68,000 on hand. Conservative Solutions for Jacksonville was established to support Fischer’s campaigns for the House, and still retains funds for whatever down the road.

While Fischer is nearing $970,000 on hand, his opponents are struggling.

Rep. Clay Yarborough of House District 12 raised just $1,550 in hard money in May, giving him roughly $68,000 in his campaign account.

Floridians for Conservative Values, the political committee supporting Yarborough’s bid, likewise underperformed relative to Fischer. The committee raised $10,500, pushing it close to $330,000 on hand. All of that money was local.

Fischer has over a two-to-one edge over Yarborough, but far behind both is the Representative from HD 11, Cord Byrd.

Byrd raised nothing to either his 1845 political committee or his campaign account, and between the two, he has roughly $80,000 on hand.

Those familiar with Senate President Wilton Simpson’s thinking suggest he does not want a competitive primary in the safe seat that is SD 4 and that his interest would be in an “invisible primary” that clears the field. It remains to be seen if that is talk or foreshadowing.

Interestingly, no candidate really has traction in HD 11, Byrd’s current seat. Three candidates have open accounts, with only Jacksonville Beach lawyer Heath Brockwell having raised any money at all.

However, Brockwell has under $20,000 on hand after four months in the race, and some are looking at making a run. Duval GOP chair Dean Black is praying on his next move, but the word is a serious contender may yet emerge beachside to succeed Byrd.

However, it’s also conceivable that Byrd runs for reelection after all.

SD 4 includes all of Nassau County and part of Duval. It is drawn as a Republican-leaning seat.