A.G. Gancarski
A left-of-center PAC that played in Florida elections four years ago is engaging again this year, weighing in early in the Attorney General race.
The Collective PAC rolled out an endorsement for former State Attorney Aramis Ayala of Orlando Thursday. And if history is any indication, the group will engage in the fight for the Democratic nomination.
“Ms. Ayala is a civil rights advocate and former Florida State Attorney, who served as a public defender and Assistant State Attorney for almost 15 years. If elected, she plans to advocate for voting and civil rights, reproductive rights, and give a voice to all Floridians. If elected, Ms. Ayala will once again make history as Florida’s first Black Attorney General,” read a statement from the group.
Those who have been in the state for any length of time will recall the role the committee played throughout the 2018 cycle.
They were among the progressive groups backing the candidacy of Tampa’s Sean Shaw, and they went deep with investments on behalf of Andrew Gillum’s campaign for Governor, spending $2 million for Gillum and engaging heavily in the nomination fight.
A full $1.75 million went to ads chipping away at Gwen Graham, who lost the Primary to Gillum by 3 points, with African American and urban area turnout driving the surprise win.
“Our helpfulness was much more needed in the Primary,” the group explained at the time.
The Collective PAC’s involvement this time around comes as Democrats vie for the chance to oppose an entrenched incumbent. Ashley Moody has ample earned media reach and more than $5 million banked.
Ayala, according to the most recent finance filings, has roughly $25,000 cash on hand, which doesn’t even lead the field.
Daniel Uhlfelder of Santa Rosa Beach continues to be the leading Democratic fundraiser after two months in the race, with more than $73,000 raised and more than $55,000 on hand in his campaign account. Additionally, Uhlfelder’s associated political committee, Hold Tallahassee Accountable, raised $4,704 in April, and has north of $31,000 on hand.
Fort Lauderdale’s Jim Lewis raised no money in April, and he has roughly $16,000 on hand. Of that amount, $15,000 comes from a personal loan.
4 comments
Itold Usoh
May 12, 2022 at 2:22 pm
“If elected, she plans to advocate for voting and civil rights, reproductive rights, and give a voice to all Floridians. If elected, Ms. Ayala will once again make history as Florida’s first Black Attorney General,” read a statement from the group.
Well, the big issue in my area is crime and drugs. What’s she going to do to reduce crime? We’ve had shootouts, drive-bys, car jackings, muggings, and organized shop lifting (a.k.a. looting). And what’s she going to do about the fentanyl problem? The current AG seems OK, though in my book, not tough enough on crime.
I worry Ayala will be like the D.A.’s in L.A., San Francisco, NYC, Chicago and Philadelphia. All about de-carceration and restorative justice. Little attention paid to the victims of crime. Sort of a super-powerful public defender.
H. Hudson
May 13, 2022 at 7:59 pm
I’d like to respectfully reply that Ms. Ayala, as a former State Attorney in charge of an office of prosecutors, who also was a local prosecutor herself, is much more likely to understand the problems of crime and its victims on a local level here in Florida than the current Attorney General, who’s never worked as a local prosecutor at all. As you can read in her bio, she’s always worked for elite institiutions as a corporate lawyer; a lawyer for the federal government; and then she was a was a judge and a law professor before she was elected.
Nancy
May 16, 2022 at 8:36 pm
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Just a comment
May 17, 2022 at 1:51 am
For what I see dropping flags you need the 636 not the 666
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