Drew Wilson
Rep. Webster Barnaby is going on the attack in the Republican Primary for House District 29, releasing a new ad slamming Rep. Elizabeth Fetterhoff as a “liberal politician.”
The 30-second spot focuses on reports Fetterhoff has been using campaign dollars to pay a company — FWD Consulting Group — that she and her husband founded in 2021. Her campaign and political committee, United for Florida’s Future, paid the company about $12,000 between April 2021 and January 2022.
“Liberal politician Elizabeth Fetterhoff was caught lining her own pockets with special interest money,” the ad narrator says before further detailing the alleged grift.
“Fetterhoff takes big campaign contributions from liberals and lobbyists. Fetterhoff votes for the lobbyists’ projects, then pays herself thousands of dollars from her campaign through a company she owns. Elizabeth Fetterhoff — she’s not just liberal, she’s corrupt.”
Barnaby is then pitched as the “conservative” candidate who “shares our values and stands with Governor DeSantis to fight for us.”
The campaign did not share details about when and where the new ad will run, but it lands shortly after Barnaby significantly ramped up spending. Reports show he spent more than $20,000 on ads last month and an additional $25,000 during the first half of July.
The HD 29 Primary is a consequence of redistricting. Fetterhoff, of Deland, currently represents House District 26, and Barnaby, of Deltona, currently represents House District 27. But the new map placed both lawmakers into the new HD 29, which covers part of Volusia County. Each candidate currently represents about half of the new HD 29.
The new House map placed 19 incumbents seeking re-election in the same districts as colleagues. But in every other instance of a potential incumbent-on-incumbent battle, one or more candidates has moved to a neighboring district and chosen to run there.
With about a month to go until the Primary, there is no clear frontrunner in the contest. Both candidates recently received endorsements from law enforcement organizations — the Police Benevolent Association is backing Fetterhoff while the Fraternal Order of Police supports Barnaby.
Barnaby has raised and spent more thus far. He collected about $154,000 for his campaign and had about $66,000 banked on July 15. Fetterhoff’s report for the first half of July is not yet available, but her campaign had raised about $119,000 and had about $65,000 banked through the end of June.
The ad is below.
