Kelly Hayes
Berny Jacques continues to lead the House District 59 field in fundraising, collecting more than $20,000 last month as he faces Dipak Dinanath Nadkarni and Jennifer Wilson for the Republican nomination.
Jacques, a former prosecutor and previous conservative analyst for Bay News 9, reported raising $20,325 in April between his HD 59 campaign and Jacques’ affiliated political committee, Florida Values Coalition. Between his campaign and political committee, Jacques has amassed $165,995 since starting his campaign a year ago.
Jacques’ campaign reported 52 contributors in April, including seven $1,000 donations from organizations like A Bold Florida Future, Josh Miranda Contracting, Dean Black Investments and Citizens Speaking Out Committee.
His affiliated political committee collected $10,000 last month from one contributor, Tampa Bay area businessman and former Castle Supply Company owner Joe White.
Jacques’ campaign spent $2,439 in April, including about $1,500 on consulting services and the rest on processing fees. His political committee spent $900 last month, all on consulting. He will start May with $144,620 in available spending money.
Wilson, a local business lawyer, raised $6,000 last month from seven contributors, including five $1,000 donations from companies like North American Kegs, Boston Capital Leasing Management and Seaboard Craft Beer Holdings.
She has so far raised $133,130 since starting her campaign, which includes $52,610 worth of self-funding.
Wilson spent $7,004 this time around, with $5,500 going to the Pinellas County Republican Party for advertising, $1,000 on campaign management and the remainder directed toward accounting and processing fees. Wilson will start May with $116,811 cash on hand.
Nadkarni, a retired Navy physician and the newest entrant to the race, kicked off his campaign in the middle of March. He did not report any fundraising for the month of April. He did spend $6,585 in April on reimbursements for sponsorship and event tickets as well as T-shirts and advertising.
He has $50,000 in the bank so far, all self-funded.
The three candidates are running to replace Nick DiCeglie in the House. The newly drawn House District 59 is located in Pinellas County and includes Largo, Seminole, parts of Pinellas Park and some of unincorporated Pinellas County.
The GOP Primary currently includes front-runners Jacques and Wilson, as well as Nadkarni, all of whom are running for the Republican nomination.
Seminole City Council member Chris Burke withdrew from the HD 59 race just a few days after announcing his campaign. Burke is also not the first Republican to drop out of the race. Former candidate Alen Tomczak announced in early March that he ended his campaign after being called to active duty with the Florida National Guard.
As an active member of the Florida National Guard, Tomczak will be deployed overseas beginning in May. DiCeglie has endorsed Wilson as his preferred successor.
