Jacob Ogles
Sarasota Democrat Derek Reich has raised more than $100,000 to challenge state Rep. Fiona McFarland, a Sarasota Republican.
The House District 73 candidate shared that his official campaign raised more than $65,000 in the first quarter, and his political committee, the Freedom First Fund, raised another $5,400. That brings the combined total fundraising for both accounts together to more than $113,000.
Reich said he closed the quarter with more than $78,000 cash on hand.
“I’m truly grateful to hundreds of individuals who contributed to our campaign this quarter,” Reich said in a statement.
“I’m proud of the grassroots support that allowed us to hit this incredible fundraising number without taking any money from corporate PACs. Our message of protecting a woman’s right to choose, lowering homeowners insurance rates, and fully funding our children’s public schools is resonating with the voters in HD 73. Thanks to their support, we’re going to win this seat in November and send this Teacher to Tallahassee. When I’m there, I’m going to fight for our freedoms and defend the American Dream for all Flordians.”
Reich in August filed for a rematch with McFarland. He ran against the incumbent in 2022 but lost by 11 percentage points.
But after the first quarter of the year, he already has raised more than the entirety of the 2022 cycle. His campaign last year spent more than $88,000 in total, including $3,000 out of pocket for Reich. His committee spent less than $4,400.
While he started fundraising earlier and found more traction this cycle, he still lags behind McFarland.
The Republican incumbent hasn’t released quarterly figures, but closed 2023 with more than $85,000 in cash in her official account, and wrapped January with almost $339,000 in cash on hand for her committee Friends of Sarasota.
But Reich expects a friendlier climate for Democrats this fall.
“The de facto complete ban on abortion is incredibly unpopular in our district,” he said. “As a result, this fall, will see a majority of Democrats, NPAs, and Republicans in HD 73 pass amendment 4. A rebuke to Tallahassee Republicans and Fiona McFarland who voted for an abortion bill that had no exception for rape or incest and put us all in this position.”
