Kelly Hayes
Democratic candidate Eric Lynn has started the second quarter with nearly $1 million cash on hand as he runs for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, his campaign announced this week.
According to Lynn’s campaign, the candidate has led a successful grassroots effort, and not “a dime of corporate PAC money” has contributed to the funds.
“I am grateful for the continuous and growing support my campaign has received,” Lynn said in a statement. “This is a tough race — with the results impacting the health and security of our democracy — but it is clear that we have the support it will take to be successful in 2022.”
Quarterly campaign finance reports are due April 15, but candidates are free to release their own information at any time. More details on spending and donors will be available once the reports are released.
“In order to protect our democracy and hold our House majority, it’s critical that we keep FL-13 blue in 2022,” Lynn’s campaign manager, Andrew Bernucca, said in a statement.
“With Republican candidates in FL-13 fighting each other and spending more time with the former defeated President’s family, we need a candidate with strength in fundraising, experience and a broad coalition of support — Eric is that candidate. Eric can get the job done, delivering a victory for not just Pinellas but for Floridians and Americans nationwide.”
The CD 13 race is one of the most contentious and closely watched of the 2022 midterms. Candidates are racing to replace outgoing Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist as he runs for Governor.
Lynn, a former national security adviser under President Barack Obama, faces state Reps. Ben Diamond and Michele Rayner-Goolsby in the Democratic Primary for CD 13.
The Democratic nominee will go on to face the winner of the crowded Republican Primary. The GOP field includes former prosecutor Kevin Hayslett, nonprofit founder Audrey Henson, Air Force veteran Anna Paulina Luna, Republican strategist Amanda Makki and Christine Quinn. Makki lost the Republican Primary to Luna in 2020.
As far as fundraising, Luna closed out 2021 leading both sides of the field with just over a million dollars raised. Democrat Diamond ended 2021 just under a million, but announced in January he’d hit seven figures.
Lynn ended 2021 adding nearly $900,000 overall. Makki finished with $541,000 and Rayner brought in $334,000. Henson raised $306,000. The rest of the candidates have raised less than $20,000.
