Anne Geggis
Republican candidate Guy Silla has staked $24,000 on his campaign to flip Broward County’s House District 101 red.
Undoubtedly, he’ll have an uphill battle against the numbers. Election data shows President Joe Biden won the south Broward County legislative district by 14 percentage points.
Technically, though, Silla’s ahead in cash-on-hand. His Democratic rival, Hillary Cassel, burned through $523,978, including $65,000 of her own money, during a three-way Democratic Primary in HD 101. Between her personal account and her political committee, Friends of Hillary Cassel, the Hollywood lawyer has $7,779 to spend on her campaign.
The two are battling in November’s General Election for a seat representing parts of Dania Beach, Hallandale Beach, Davie and Hollywood that came open as Democratic Rep. Evan Jenne was term-limited.
In the Aug. 23 Primary, Cassel vanquished two rivals, winning 40% of the vote. LGBTQ activist Todd Delmay finished second with 34% of the vote and the former President of the Broward Young Democrats Clay Miller received 25%.
The trio collectively raised more than $750,000 and spent most of it.
Post-Primary, Cassel has raised $7,724, receiving $1,000 donations from U.S. Sugar Corp., based in Clewiston; South Central Florida Express, a carrier shortline railroad operated by U.S. Sugar Corp., also based in Clewiston; Antonio Jimenez, a Weston lawyer; Merick Lewin of Davie, who works in real estate; Michelle Lewin, a Davie school counselor; the Visa credit card company; and Metro Broward Professional Firefighters, a union based in Tamarac.
Prominent Democrats Chad Klitzman, a candidate for Broward County Supervisor of Elections, and Nick Sortal, a mayoral candidate in Plantation, also donated to Cassel’s campaign, each giving her $100.
Cassel’s post-Primary expenses came in at less than $600. Chism Strategies in Madison, Wisconsin, received the last big check her campaign wrote on Aug. 22: $14,500 for mailers. She paid $6,000 to the same company for paid phone calls on Aug. 20.
The campaigns faced a deadline earlier this month to report all financial activities through Sept. 9.
