Jacob Ogles
State Rep. Kristen Arrington has raised the most money for a high-profile Senate District 25 contest. But her intense spending means two Democratic opponents have more cash on hand in the Primary’s closing weeks.
Arrington has raised almost $184,000 in her official campaign account as of July 26, according to reports to the Division of Elections. But the Kissimmee Democrat closed the reporting period with just over $3,800 in the bank.
That’s after spending nearly $61,000 in July, including more than $52,000 in media placements.
This means Arrington has outraised community leader Carmen Torres, an Orlando Democrat, but has less cash.
Torres, the wife of retiring incumbent state Sen. Vic Torres, reported more than $112,000 to her campaign, and also put in almost $4,500 in candidate loans. But she’s been more frugal, spending less than $48,000 leading to the last reporting period in July. That left her with close to $65,000 to spend in the final month before the Primary. The biggest recent expense came from spending more than $5,300 on radio production with J&V Communications in Orlando.
Meanwhile, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson made good on a promise to fund a competitive race. Since his Qualifying Week entry into the open Senate contest, Grayson has posted $103,000 worth of candidate loans for the race. The Orlando Democrat appears prepared to almost completely self-fund, reporting less than $200 in outside contributions.
But Grayson through the end of the last reporting period had spent almost $84,000. That includes more than $34,000 with Lawton Connect Printing as the former Congressman papers the Osceola-Orange district in signage and mailers.
Notably, Arrington also can rely on support from the Friends of Arringtons political committee. But as of July 26, that committee, which has spent almost $317,000 over a three-year life span, has just over $3,000 cash still available.
Torres also will have support from the Latino Rising political committee, which closed the last reporting period with more than $80,000 in cash. That was after spending almost $25,000 in direct mail in July with Mad Dog Mail.
Arrington has continued to be the most successful fundraiser in recent weeks, but just barely. She reported more than $8,100 in new contributions in the week spanning from July 20 to 26. Torres reported more than $7,800 in the same time.
Both saw about half their money come from political committees. Torres collected checks from the local SEIU chapter, the progressive Florida Alliance and state Sen.-elect Carlos Guillermo Smith’s Floridians for Equality PC. Arrington saw contributions from the American Beverage Association, the Florida Financial Serves PC and the Friends of Landscape Architects.
Of note, this district has remained Democratic-leaning for years, but registration trends in Osceola County have Republicans hopeful to make it a battleground in November. Republicans have a Primary underway as well.
Osceola County School Board member Jon Arguello leads the money race on the Right, having collected more than $55,000 in contributions through the last reporting period.
He has used much of that support to build party infrastructure, including donating more than $1,200 to the Florida Republican Assembly and more than $4,500 to the Orange GOP. He also spent $9,000 for a billboard in the district, and just under $8,700 with Signs Six Three on printed signs and literature.
The Kissimmee Republican ultimately closed the period with around $15,000 in cash on hand.
St. Cloud Republican Jose Martinez, who founded a T-Mobile dealer with his brother, raised almost $33,000 in contributions to date, on top of $150,000 worth of candidate loans.
He has already dipped into his own money, spending upward of $49,000 before the end of July. That includes $5,000 in radio ads with Orlando Creative Solutions and more than $75,000 with Good Guy Signs.
He wrapped the period with about $134,000 in cash on hand.
