Jacob Ogles
Sarasota Republican Martin Hyde raised no money over the second quarter of the year to challenge Rep. Vern Buchanan.
In his first fundraising support covering a period entirely after a controversial traffic stop, Hyde has confirmed his days soliciting donations have passed, even as his congressional candidacy continues.
From April through June, he spent an additional $16,413 on his campaign challenging Buchanan in a Republican Primary. That has mostly gone to CCW Broadcast Media and to Mars Vision, and he has filmed video ads as he continues the race.
But Hyde previously told Florida Politics he intends to self-fund the rest of the race. That’s a decision he made after public outrage boiled over a traffic incident where Hyde threatened a Sarasota Police Officer’s job if she wrote him a citation.
Officer Julia Beskin pulled him over on Valentine’s Day. Hyde quickly berated her and said: “I’ll just call the Chief. You know who I am, right?”
Hyde, who in the immediate aftermath of the incident saw clubs cancel appearances, has said he will cash checks that happen to come in. But his second quarter fundraising doesn’t show that to be happening.
After filing the new report, he stressed his campaign includes no special interest funding, something his eight-term opponent cannot claim.
“I’m putting my own money where my rather large mouth is, which Buchanan hasn’t done since 2006,” Hyde said. “It’s a lot easier when the special interest money in D.C. (is) on your side.”
Of note, Buchanan has at times loaned money to campaigns where he faced nationally backed Democrats, but has since paid down that debt.
On June 1, Hyde reported providing another $30,000 for his campaign. Hyde listed $60,000 in debt owed by the committee in the election to date. That’s a lower amount than the $164,000 listed in his reports after the first quarter. The change came despite the campaign listing no loan repayments during the quarter.
Regardless of the accounting, Hyde wrapped the quarter with $16,113 in cash on hand, less than he spent over the quarter. He has burned through $49,127 in the campaign to date.
By comparison, Buchanan has seen his fundraising reach new heights as it becomes more likely he will chair the House Ways & Means Committee, presuming Republicans can retake a majority in November.
Buchanan and Hyde will square off in the Aug. 23 Republican Primary. The winner will face Democrat Jan Schneider in November.
