Ryan Nicol
Democratic candidate Hillary Cassel says she raised nearly $70,000 in September for her bid in House District 99 to replace outgoing House Democratic Co-Leader Evan Jenne.
The September haul marks Cassel’s best monthly fundraising total since March, which was her first full month as a candidate for the seat.
“I’m humbled by the amount of support we received this past month. It’s yet another sign of our campaign’s momentum, which we’ve felt growing this entire year,” Cassel said in a written statement touting the September fundraising numbers.
“In Tallahassee, I look forward to fighting tirelessly on issues important to the residents of Broward County including women’s rights, access to the ballot box and expanded treatment options for mental health care.”
September fundraising reports for candidates and political committees aren’t due until Monday. Cassel’s official reports, which feature more detailed information about those September numbers, aren’t available on the Division of Elections site as of this posting. Her Democratic Primary opponents, Barry Faske and Jeremy Katzman, have not yet posted their September numbers either.
But Cassel has consistently led the race in fundraising so far. As of Sept. 30, Cassel has just over $250,000 in cash on hand between her campaign and political committee, Friends of Hillary Cassel, according to her campaign. That includes $50,000 in loans from Cassel to her campaign.
The latest reported numbers from Faske and Katzman — which are current as of Aug. 31 — show $5,000 in cash on hand for Faske and $65,000 for Katzman. Those totals will likely go up in September, but it’s highly unlikely either will catch up to Cassel’s pace.
Cassel is a lawyer who co-founded Cassel & Cassel, P.A. with her husband, Michael. Faske is a member of the Florida Green Building Coalition’s board of directors. Katzman works as an administrator at Nova Southeastern University’s Health Professions Division.
Earlier this week, a group of local elected leaders endorsed Cassel, including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis. That adds to a slate of endorsements from current Senate and House lawmakers.
Jenne will be leaving the seat after this term because of term limits. HD 99 covers portions of Broward County including Southwest Ranches, Cooper City, Dania Beach and Davie.
