Jesse Scheckner
Former Bay Harbor Islands Mayor Jordan Leonard collected close to $20,000 in May toward his bid for the House District 106 seat thanks to ample help from South Florida’s booming real estate sector.
That haul, combined with his prior gains, brought his total holdings to almost $299,000 between his campaign account and political committee, Americans for Florida.
Leonard’s largest contribution in May came from Matthew Lazenby, whose family owns and operates the upscale retail destination, Bal Harbour Shops, in Miami.
He also received $2,000 from development giant Florida East Coast Industries, which owns the inter-city rail company Brightline, and $500 from Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino, president of his family’s civil engineering firm, The Corradino Group.
Corradino is among a passel of elected officials backing Leonard’s HD 106 bid, including the district’s current Representative, Joe Geller.
Leonard spent nearly $15,000 last month, almost all of it on political and financial consulting. His campaign ledger includes a $325 ticket and event ad purchase with the South Florida AFL-CIO.
He faces one Primary opponent: special education teacher Gustavo Ortega, who has struggled to raise funds since filing for the race in December.
To date, Ortega has raised less than $3,000. That includes $560 he took in last month through 19 personal donations averaging $29 apiece.
He has yet to accept a single corporate contribution.
Ortega spent $525 in May, the most of any monthly round of spending. All of it went to yard signs, car magnets and business cards.
The winner of the Democratic Primary will face one of two Republican candidates: former reality TV star Fabían Basabe, who last year unsuccessfully ran for the Miami Beach Commission, or financial services professional Wena “Lynn Su” Sutjapojnukul.
“Lynn Su” led fundraising between the two GOP candidates last month, raking in roughly $1,600. More than $1,300 of that was self-loaned.
She also received four personal checks, including a $9 contribution from Antonio Byrdsong, a Republican running in Senate District 34.
Sutjapojnukul spent close to $5,500. Of that, $2,000 went to staffer Gregory Conterio and $300 paid for campaign T-shirts. The remainder covered petition fees, qualifying costs, transportation, postage and campaign materials.
Basabe raised nothing in May, marking his first dry month since he filed to run for state office in March.
To date, Basabe has loaned his campaign $250,000. He’s collected just $201 in outside funds.
While he didn’t raise anything, last month was the first time he used any of his funds.
He spent about $3,700. That included $2,400 on campaign signage, $1,200 on “treasurer services” and a $45 membership ticket to the Republican Liberty Caucus.
HD 106 runs along the Miami-Dade coast and includes all or part of the municipalities of Aventura, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami Beach, North Bay Village, North Miami Beach and Sunny Isles Beach.
Candidates faced a Friday deadline to report all campaign finance activity through the end of May.
