Kelly Hayes
The North Florida Citizens for Justice PAC, is sending a $25,000 boost to House District 58 candidate Jason Holloway.
The PAC donated the funds to Holloway’s affiliated political committee, Keep Florida Red 2022. That funding comes at a vital time for the Republican candidate, as he heads into the Primary Election against former Rep. Kim Berfield and lawyer Jim Vricos.
In the first week of August, Holloway collected $34,400 between his campaign and affiliated committee, as well as adding $9,600 via self-funding. Berfield raised $3,450 in the same time frame via her campaign. While Berfield has an affiliated political committee, Friends of Kim Berfield, it reported no fundraising in the latest period.
Holloway’s campaign reported seven donors this time around, including four $1,000 donations, most from various real estate-related PACs. His political committee only saw two donors — North Florida Citizens for Justice, and another $5,000 from Shiner Law Group.
Berfield saw six contributors in the latest period, including three $1,000 donations from organizations like Outfront Media and Radiology PAC.
As for spending, Berfield dished out $7,867 to Golden Jaguar Consulting, all for direct mail services, while Holloway spent $9,683 on cable ads and $500 on accounting services. Holloway’s political committee spent $2,895 on texting services and another $500 on accounting services.
Vricos collected $250 in the first week of August from two donors, and he spent $6 on processing fees.
While Berfield has trailed Holloway’s fundraising numbers, her name recognition in the area is valuable.
The candidates are running to replace Rep. Chris Latvala. Latvala is leaving office because of term limits and is running for Pinellas County Commission. Latvala already has endorsed Berfield as his preferred successor.
HD 58 covers parts of the middle and northern portions of Pinellas County. The Primary Election is Aug. 23.
A Democrat, Joseph Saportas, entered the race in late July. Saportas ran an unsuccessful campaign for Pinellas County Tax Collector in 2020, losing to incumbent Charles Thomas after running a largely unproductive campaign against a powerful incumbent.
One comment
True Blue
August 17, 2022 at 3:53 am
This PAC is an organization of trial lawyers–not typically very solid Republicans–and it gets substantial funding from a Pensacola law firm founded by Reubin Askew, perhaps Florida’s most liberal Democratic governor. Mr. Holloway, who staffed for years for a Democratic member of the Florida Senate, takes the money without apparent qualm. In the race for Florida House District 58, another candidate might be a better choice for Republicans who are true to the party’s heritage and principles.
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