Kelly Hayes
House District 5 candidate Shane Abbott raised more than $16,000 in September, his campaign announced Thursday.
Abbott, who is running in the Republican Primary to succeed Rep. Brad Drake, collected $15,075 via his official campaign and another $1,500 through his affiliated political committee, Prescription for Florida’s Prosperity.
That brings Abbott’s total raised since he entered the race to more than $214,000.
Abbott’s campaign provided the latest update. More information on other candidates and finance details will be available when required campaign finance disclosures are filed with the Florida Division of Elections, due Tuesday.
“I am humbled by the continued support our campaign has received from conservatives in Northwest Florida,” Abbott said in a statement. “Now more than ever, we need someone in the Florida House who understands and is willing to fight for our way of life, and our campaign is prepared to do just that thanks to our grassroots support.”
The Defuniak Springs pharmacy owner is one of three candidates running for HD 5, which covers all of Holmes, Jackson, Walton, and Washington counties, as well as part of Bay County. He faces Jackson County Commissioner Clint Pate and Marianna Republican Vance Coley in the GOP Primary.
HD 5 is favorable to Republicans. Drake hadn’t faced a challenger in the General Election since 2016 when he earned more than two-thirds of the vote against no-party candidate Jamey Westbrook. In 2014, he earned nearly three-quarters of the vote against Libertarian candidate Karen Schoen.
District lines will shift ahead of the 2022 election because of the once-per-decade reapportionment process, but that’s not expected to impact the GOP advantage in the district.
Drake is not seeking reelection because of term limits.
