Maxwell Frost raises $169K for CD 10 bid

Image via Maxwell Alejandro Frost campaign.

Generation Z Democratic activist Maxwell Alejandro Frost demonstrated legitimacy as a congressional candidate by raising more than $169,000 in the third quarter of 2021 — his first campaigning in Florida’s 10th Congressional District.

Frost is battling some high-profile Democrats, including Sen. Randolph Bracy and former State Attorney Aramis Ayala, in the heavily Democratic CD 10, covering western Orange County. The seat is opening because Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings is running for the U.S. Senate instead of reelection.

With $169,203 raised, Frost momentarily takes the lead in the money race, because neither Bracy nor Ayala had posted their third-quarter campaign financial reports with the Federal Election Commission through Friday morning. Bracy had raised $165,525 in the second quarter, though he started his campaign with just five weeks left in that quarter. Ayala, who also started her campaign with just five weeks left in the second quarter, had raised $73,531 in that quarter.

Frost did not enter the race until mid-August, halfway through the third quarter. Frost’s campaign spent about $40,000 during the quarter, leaving him with $129,681 in the bank heading into October.

Frost, a 24-year-old progressive activist, drew much of his money through the national Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue. His campaign reported it received 3,289 contributions with an average donation of $51.45, with more than 96% of the donations under $100. Teachers and nurses were among the top contributors to the campaign, the campaign said.

Frost previously served as the national organizing director for the national March for Our Lives, one of the largest youth-led political movements in the country. His campaign touted Frost’s chance to become the first Generation Z member of Congress, and the second Afro-Latino member of Congress.

“We’re building a multi-racial, multi-generational movement of working-class people who are ready for change. Too often, a campaign’s viability is determined by how many big donors and dark money PACs max out their contributions,” Frost said in a news release Friday. “I want to be clear: a political system built on that foundation only serves its donors, not the people. But we’re showing that’s not the only way to win.”

Democrat Natalie Jackson, an Orlando civil rights lawyer, also posted her numbers for the third quarter. She raised $19,789 in the quarter, giving her a two-quarter total of $71,094 raised. Jackson’s campaign entered October with $30,049 in the bank.

Democrat Teresa Tachon, an Orlando teacher, reported raising $5,265 in the third quarter and entered October with $5,187 in the bank.

Democrat Jack Achenbach reported raising $947 in the third quarter and entered October with $657 in the bank.

Democrats Terence Gray and Eric Atkinson; Republicans Willie Montague, Carter Morgan, Angela Walls-Windhauser, and Mahendranath Troy Rambaransingh; and independent candidate Jason Holic had not yet posted any financial reports for the third quarter by Friday morning.