Jesse Scheckner
Members of lawyer Chad Klitzman’s campaign say they have raised more than $205,000 since he entered the race for Senate District 35 in late October.
The majority of donations to his campaign account and political committee came from grassroots sources, his campaign representatives said.
“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support we have seen from across the community, state and country for our movement to make Florida more affordable and inclusive,” Klitzman said in a statement. “Folks are ready for fresh leadership in Tallahassee, and I’m so heartened to know that our message of defending rights and protecting wallets is resonating with voters.”
Klitzman, who fell just 607 voters short of winning a bid for Broward County Supervisor of Elections in 2020, filed to run for SD 35 on Oct. 26. As of Thursday, he remains the latest entrant to the race, following two fellow Democrats — former Broward Mayor Barbara Sharief and Rodney Jacobs, who leads a city-created police watchdog group in Miami — and Republican former Broward Sheriff’s Deputy Vinny Parlatore.
Sharief has raised nearly $122,000, including an $80,000 self-loan, since she quickly filed to again run for SD 35 after losing in August 2022 to now-term-limited Democratic Sen. Lauren Book. Sharief is still suing Book for $1 million after challenging the sitting Democratic Leader in her final term.
Jacobs raised close to $50,000 between when he filed to run in August and Sept. 30, the end of the third quarter of 2023 and the last date by which official campaign finance information was due.
Parlatore, who filed Sept. 35, reported no Q3 fundraising activity.
Campaign finance data for the fourth quarter of 2023 — covering October, November and December — are due from state and local candidates Wednesday, in accordance with new Florida reporting requirements.
Klitzman, 29, is the youngest person in the SD 35 race. But he’s not inexperienced in government or the legislative process.
He interned at the White House during Barack Obama’s presidency, served twice in appointed roles with the U.S. Department of Transportation and did back-to-back internships under U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper’s administration as Colorado Governor and U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette.
He also spent two years working in the legal department at JetBlue Airways, where he focused on intellectual property, government affairs, data privacy and marketing issues.
SD 35 is a heavily Democratic-leaning district in Broward that stretches westward into Alligator Alley, including Cooper City, Miramar, Pembroke Pines, Southwest Ranches and parts of Davie and Hollywood.
The Primary Election is on Aug. 20, followed by the General Election on Nov. 5.
