Kelly Hayes
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Andrew Learned saw his largest fundraising month in May since launching his re-election campaign for the newly drawn House District 69.
Learned raised $50,327 in May between his campaign account and affiliated political committee, Serve Florida. The incumbent faces Republican challenger Danny Alvarez, who reported raising $5,525 last month.
Alvarez, a Tampa-based lawyer, launched his campaign in mid-February and so far has amassed $116,577. Learned, on the other hand, has now raised $309,344 between his campaign and political committee. A third candidate, Republican Megan Angel Petty, filed to run for the House seat at the start of March, and reported raising $31 in March.
Learned’s campaign account collected $22,827 in May from about 225 contributors, including 16 $1,000 donations from organizations like the Council for Senior Floridians, Racetrack Petroleum Inc., Friends of Tampa General Hospital and Courtesy Insurance Company, as well as Walmart heir Jim C. Walton.
Learned’s affiliated political committee raised $27,500 last month from 10 contributors, including $5,000 from the Florida Automobile Dealers Association’s CAR-PAC, the Voice of Florida Business PAC and the Committee for Florida Justice Reform. The political committee also received another $1,000 from Walton.
As for spending, the incumbent’s campaign dished out $5,323 last month on fundraising and communication services. His political committee spent $1,562 on event expenses.
Alvarez reported nine contributors in the month of May, including four $1,000 donations from A Stronger Florida, Florida Farmers and Ranchers United and FTBA Transportation PAC.
He spent $10,640 last month, split among fundraising and campaign consulting services, as well as advertising.
Alvarez likely won’t have to face a Republican incumbent in the Primary Election. Rep. Mike Beltran, who also lives in the district, opted to relocate and run for HD 70 instead. A House district map (H 8013) had placed the majority of geography in Beltran’s current district, House District 57, into the new HD 69.
The new HD 69 seems to have a slight Republican advantage, with 50% of the district going to Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election, and 48% going to President Joe Biden.
