Jacob Ogles
Rep. David Smith has outraised every Republican candidate for the House as he seeks re-election in House District 38.
The Winter Springs Republican through Sept. 6 reported more than $421,000 in outside contributions to his campaign. Even after spending upward of $176,000 already for his re-election, he closed the reporting period with almost $245,000 in cash on hand.
By comparison, Democrat Sarah Henry through the same date had collected $138,000, no paltry sum. But she has spent much of that and has just over $47,000 in the bank.
Beyond campaign account resources, Smith also has access to nearly $101,000 in cash on hand through his political committee, Friends of David Smith. The committee has raised nearly $113,000 this election cycle.
Unlike last election, Henry also has had a committee in operation the entire cycle. Since she announced in April 2023 that she would challenge Smith again, Friends of Sarah Henry has raised almost $120,000. It closed the last reporting period with more than $84,000 available.
The bottom line is that less than two months from Election Day, Smith controls around $346,000 in cash, while Henry has access to some $132,000.
Both candidates also received massive assistance from their respective state parties as they battle in what is widely considered one of the most competitive legislative districts in the state.
The Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, the political arm for House Democrats, has helped Henry with consulting and polling to the tune of almost $85,000. On top of that, the Florida Democratic Party provided almost $33,000 in additional in-kind support, chiefly in staff and insurance costs.
That total, around $118,000 in assistance, represents the most in-kind support provided by either state party to any House candidate in Florida to date.
But the Republicans have similarly delivered more assistance to Smith than any other Republican running for a House seat this cycle. The Florida House Republican Campaign Committee (FHRCC) has provided more than $52,000 in-kind through polling and text messaging services, and the Republican Party of Florida has given more than $24,000 in staff support to the incumbent.
Add in $50,000 in cold hard cash donations from the FHRCC to Smith and that adds up to more than $126,000 in party aid, a bigger investment even than Democrats made in Henry.
The race marks a rematch of 2022, when Smith defeated Henry with 52% of the vote. But in the 2020 Presidential Election, more than 53% of voters in HD 38 backed Democrat Joe Biden. Just over 43% voted for Donald Trump, even as the Republican won statewide.
While both Smith and Henry won their party nominations without opposition, they both saw a jolt in funding after the Aug. 20 races around the state ended. In the fundraising period from Aug. 24 to Sept. 6, Smith raised more than $23,000, while Henry added more than $6,700 to her coffers.
