Jesse Scheckner
Two candidates vying for the open House District 89 seat are now virtually tied in fundraising, but dialing down into their numbers reveals starkly different approaches to attracting campaign cash.
Democrat Debra Tendrich, who bested a better-financed Primary foe to clinch her place on the Nov. 5 ballot, raised close to $67,000 between when she filed to run in July 2023 and Oct. 4, 2024.
That includes $23,000 amassed between Aug. 21, the day after the Primary, and Oct. 4, the last date from which campaign finance information is available on the Division of Elections website.
Republican Daniel Zapata, meanwhile, raised $68,500 since filing in March 2023. An overwhelming share of that — $50,000 — came from a single Palm Beach County GOP donation last month.
Other than that, Zapata added just $175 since the Primary through which he advanced unopposed.
Tendrich’s gains over the past two reporting periods spanning Sept. 7-Oct. 4 totaled more than $16,000.
That included $3,000 from organizations tied to Florida Realtors, $2,000 from lobbyist Ron Book and $1,000 apiece from the West Palm Beach-based Firefighters FactPAC and Ruth’s List Florida, which endorsed Tendrich last month.
She also got $500 from the political committee of Boynton Beach Democratic Sen. Lori Berman, local chapters of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and International Association of Firefighters, and $100 apiece from Wellington Democratic Rep. Katherine Waldron and Palm Beach Tax Collector Anne Gannon.
“The overwhelming support we’ve received proves that our community wants someone who truly understands the district’s needs,” Tendrich said in a statement. “I do not rely on party coffers. Our campaign is powered by people — neighbors, teachers, first responders, realtors, and workers who want a Representative fighting for them in Tallahassee. This is a movement for everyone who believes in a brighter, fairer future for Florida.”
Tendrich spent about $8,600 in the past two periods, most of it on campaign ads, flyers, signs and other communication services.
She had about $15,500 left as of Oct. 5.
Her campaign reported 394 contributions since July 2023.
Zapata reported 80 since March 2023 of which three came in the last two reporting periods by way of personal checks of between $25 and $100.
He also spent about $5,000 in the past two periods on consulting services, emails and texts, campaign staff food and a $200 ticket to a Hispanic Human Resources Council event last month in West Palm Beach.
Zapata had more than $50,000 left in his campaign account Oc. 5.
Tendrich and Zapata are running to succeed Democratic Rep. David Silvers, who must leave office due to term limits.
HD 89 covers a large inland portion of Palm Beach County stretching east from Greenacres to Lake Worth Beach, north from Atlantis to Cloud Lake and containing Lake Clarke Shores and Palm Springs.
The General Election is on Nov. 5.
One comment
Mimi Vanderberg-Mustardseed
October 16, 2024 at 8:35 am
Why is no one questioning Tendrich’s absolutely fraudulent charity or her record of using commercial addresses for her voter registration? Or, perhaps, when she ran for city commission in Delray Beach (and lost) she filed using a non-existent home address in the city while she was actually living with her mother in Boynton Beach.
Not to mention her claim to be a health and fitness expert when she is obviously grotesquely overweight herself… I’ve never seen a candidate gain weight while campaigning. Well, maybe Mike Barnett.
Comments are closed.