Janet Cruz nears $1.8M in total fundraising

Janet Cruz touts her Tampa roots in her effort to bring people together.

Sen. Janet Cruz is nearing $1.8 million in total fundraising as she runs for re-election in Senate District 14. That’s according to her campaign, which provided the latest numbers of the incumbent’s finances.

“I’m humbled by the outpouring of support for our race,” Cruz said in a statement. “Running a campaign is never easy, but knowing I have the confidence of my neighbors and community motivates me to do the work.”

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to serve the community that raised me in our state’s capital and because of the support our campaign has received I’ll be able to return to Tallahassee and continue to fight for our community’s priorities: reducing prescription drug prices, creating good-paying jobs, and raising teacher pay while ensuring our schools have the funding they so desperately need,” she continued.

Finance reports are due this Friday, and will offer more details on donors and spending.

The Tampa Democrat started September with $640,309 in available spending money between her campaign account and affiliated political committee, Building The Bay PC. Her opponent, Republican Jay Collins, began the month with $358,959 between his two fundraising sources, including his affiliated political committee, Quiet Professionals FL.

The pair have run a competitive race so far, with their respective parties providing strong financial backing.

While Cruz boasts a hefty war chest — surpassing $1 million raised in mid-July — in the last few finance periods, Collins reported hefty support from GOP leadership. His PC received $10,000 from House Speaker Pro Tempore Bryan Ávila’s political committee, Fighting for Florida’s Families. In July, Ávila’s committee gave Collins a $20,000 boost — a testament to how much Republicans want this seat.

Collins earned an endorsement from Gov. Ron DeSantis when he entered the race. Tampa businessman Shawn Harrison, who filed in April, left the race in response to Collins’ shift from a congressional to a legislative campaign.

SD 14 is a blue-leaning seat, but a competitive one. About 51.25% of voters under the new SD 14 lines favored Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 Presidential Election while 47.33% voted for Republican Donald Trump.