Jesse Scheckner
Democratic candidate Adam Gentle nearly doubled the contents of his campaign strongbox in February toward his bid to take House District 120, his campaign reports.
Gentle, a self-described anti-corruption lawyer, raised just shy of $23,000 last month between his campaign and political committee, Adam for Democracy. That brings his total gains to almost $50,000 since he launched his campaign for HD 120 in January.
He collected about $15,000 through 98 individual donations to the campaign in February. His PC added more than $8,000.
On March 1, Gentle picked up an endorsement from LGBTQ Victory Fund, which bills itself as “the only national organization dedicated to electing openly LGBTQ people” to public office. If elected, Gentle would be just the eighth openly LGBTQ lawmaker to serve in the Legislature and, provided those already in office win re-election, the fourth currently serving.
“In the first two months of the campaign, we have laid the foundation to flip this seat in November,” he said in a statement. “Our community has just watched Tallahassee politicians make this Legislative Session about a cruel culture war on women, teachers, and LGBTQ youth instead of focusing on the issues that impact our daily lives.
“Voters in House District 120 are tired of political theater and are ready to send someone to Tallahassee that will work for them — that’s what they can expect from me.”
Gentle started this election cycle running against incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart to represent Florida’s 25th Congressional District. He switched races in early January to instead focus on HD 120, which encompasses all of Monroe County and portions of the southernmost tip of Miami-Dade County, including part of Homestead.
The district’s incumbent, Republican Rep. Jim Mooney, will defend his seat against whoever wins the Democratic Primary — Gentle or fellow Democratic lawyer Dan Horton-Diaz, who in February reported his best-ever round of monthly funding.
Candidates face a Friday deadline to report all campaign finance activities through Feb. 28.
