Jesse Scheckner
Former Rep. David Silvers led a three-way fundraising contest last quarter in the race for Senate District 26, with a more than $44,000 haul that drew from a cross-section of Palm Beach County businesses.
Heading into July, Silvers held more than $172,000 between his campaign account and political committee, Friends of David Silvers — slightly more than Yvette Drucker, a fellow Democrat who entered the race in May, and notably more than former Republican Rep. Rick Roth.
Silvers collected 46 donations between April 1 and June 30, averaging $965 per contribution. His two largest gains came through personal checks: $10,000 from real estate executive James DiPaula and $5,000 from payment industry executive Howard Kessler, who also leads the nonprofit Kessler Family Foundation.
He received $3,100 from Representative Democracy, the political committee of former Democratic Rep. Evan Jenne.
He also got $2,500 apiece from racing driver Rodin Younessi, New Jersey real estate magnate and philanthropist David Mack, Palm Beach real estate businessman and philanthropist Sidney Kohl, health care services company ViaMar Health, and a trust named for ViaMar’s founder, Michelle Klinedinst.
Silvers spent close to $12,000 in Q2. Nearly all of it — $11,300 — went to West Palm Beach-based consulting company Cornerstone Solutions for “event expenses.”
His war chest includes a $25,000 self-loan.
Drucker, who serves on the Boca Raton City Council, raised $29,500 last quarter through a blend of corporate contributions and personal checks. Her average donation was $1,180.
The most generous donation, a $5,000 kick-in, was from a Boca Raton-based limited liability company that her political committee, Drucker for Florida, listed as “Boca Arboreum Development LLC.”
She also received $2,500 apiece from Man Con, a Deerfield Beach-based underground construction engineering company, and Boca law firm Miskel Blackman.
Florida Future Leaders, a Generation Z grassroots political committee, gave $1,000. So did Plantation-based online auction house RealAuction.com.
Drucker spent about $18,000, excluding $5,000 she returned to the Boca real estate company, Pebb Manager LLC. The preponderance of her spending went to consulting companies, including $7,500 to Tampa-based Amare Public Affairs and $6,000 to Plantation-based Sunshine Strategies.
She paid $309 to the Palm Beach County Democratic Party for a “Gold Sponsorship” at its coming Celebration of Community Cookout, gave $250 to the Florida Democratic Party and spent $282 for lodging at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
By July 1, she had about $170,000 left between her campaign account and PC, including a $25,000 self-loan.
Roth, meanwhile, raised $15,500 between his campaign account and political committee, Palm Beach Prosperity Fund, through 33 donations averaging $470 per check.
Half came from the agriculture industry, with donations including $1,000 from H&H Harvesting and Southern Growers in Clewiston, Tate Farms in Hastings, and a personal check from L&M Farms managing member Adam Lytch.
He also nabbed a $1,000 check from freshman Republican Rep. Anne Gerwig, who last year flipped House District 93 in Florida’s closest state-level contest of 2024.
Roth spent $1,800 last quarter. More than half went toward covering the cost of “thank you” cards. He paid a $200 “event fee” for a June 12 event held by the Council of Republican Club Presidents — Palm Beach County.
By the start of this month, Roth had $115,000 left to spend, including a $50,000 self-loan.
Silvers, Drucker and Roth are running to succeed term-limited Boynton Beach Sen. Lori Berman, the current Senate Democratic Leader.
SD 26 covers a southern portion of Palm Beach County, spanning the inland municipalities of Belle Glade, Golf, South Bay and Wellington; coastal Briny Breezes, Delray Beach, Highland Beach and Ocean Ridge; and a northern part of Boca Raton.
Silvers and Drucker are set to square off in a Democratic Primary on Aug. 18, 2026. If no other Republican files for the race, the winner will take on Roth in the Nov. 3, 2026, General Election.
Candidates faced a Thursday deadline to report all campaign finance activity through June 30.
