Big bucks: Lauren Book brings in more than $245K in September

Image via Colin Hackley.

Senate Democratic Leader Lauren Book raised more than $245,000 in September alone, marking another monster fundraising month in her Senate District 32 reelection bid.

Her September haul is Book’s second best this cycle, slightly trailing her February total of $250,000 as she was considering a run for Chief Financial Officer. Book ultimately declined to pursue the CFO seat as she ascended to the Senate Democratic Leader position in a leadership shuffle earlier this year.

Republican candidate Diana Bivona Belviso is challenging Book for the seat. She has yet to report any money raised since filing paperwork for the contest in March 2020.

Publix donated $51,000 to Book in September, her largest contribution that month. Just $1,000 went to Book’s campaign account, while $50,000 went to her political committee, Leadership for Florida.

Book also courted $26,000 from CGIG Group, a health care holdings firm. Two different firms connected with real estate firm Atlantic Pacific donated $15,000.

Book’s PC added $10,000 each from American Promotional Events, Autonation and Lejeune Auto Wholesale. Lejeune also donated $1,000 to Book’s campaign account.

As of Sept. 30, Book holds just over $2.5 million between her campaign and PC accounts, giving her plenty of resources to earn a second full term in the Senate.

Book has represented SD 32 since winning the seat in 2016 after redistricting. She won reelection in 2018. Book did not draw an opponent in either her 2016 or 2018 runs.

Book has been active so far ahead of the 2022 Legislative Session. As a legislator, Book has filed bills to limit the use of mechanical restraints on students with disabilities, eliminate sales tax on diapers and strengthen the rules against drag racing on public streets.

In her role as Senate Democratic Leader, Book has also helped shuffle staff in the Senate Minority Office.

SD 32 covers a western portion of Broward County including Cooper City, Davie, Weston and Plantation, though it’s unclear how the redistricting process will affect those boundaries. Candidates and political committees faced a Monday deadline to report all financial activity through Sept. 30.