Florida House candidates from Manatee, Sarasota raise huge early money for campaigns
MANATEE -- Two candidates for a Florida House seat representing areas of Bradenton and Sarasota have already raised strong campaign financing for 2016, even though they aren't technically running against one another.
Incumbent state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, reports $107,380 in backing in his first campaign finance report due July 10.
Joe Gruters, Sarasota County GOP chairman and vice chairman of the state GOP, raised $88,644 for the same District 73 seat.
Steube has his sights set on state Sen. Nancy Detert's seat, which she is rumored to be leaving two years before her term is up to seek a spot on the Sarasota County Commission.
Gruters, Detert's 2014 campaign treasurer, said he would pull out of the House election if Steube remains a candidate and doesn't run for Detert's Senate seat. No one besides Steube and Gruters has filed for the House position.
"Obviously, I'm trying to raise as much as I can for the House account, since there is no Senate seat to file for yet," Steube said. "But when that happens, I can transfer all that money over. I just have to send out letters about the switch. And I've been open about my plans."
Steube said he believes Detert will make the official announcement in August or September.
Of the 157 Florida House candidates who have filed for election, not including 25 who have raised no money, the average amount raised by the first reporting deadline was $34,518. Steube more than tripled, and Gruters more than doubled the average.
"I fully expect there to be a challenger or two," Gruters said. "But I wanted to set the tone, let people know I'm serious and that I'm in it to win it."
Steube has raised the ninth-highest amount and Gruters has raised the 14th most.
Of nonincumbents, Gruters has the eighth-largest funding base.
The average total raised by Florida House candidates for the 2014 election was $114,202, according to the Florida Division of Elections.
The 119 winners spent an average of $217,628 in 2014, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
"I've heard it was one of the highest amounts raised in a single month for a House campaign," Gruters said.
Many donations came after a fundraiser Gruters held in June featuring several prominent Manatee and Sarasota officials, including State Attorney Ed Brodsky, Manatee County commissioners Carol Whitmore, Vanessa Baugh and John Chappie, and Sarasota Sheriff Tom Knight.
Donors who gave the maximum $1,000 to the Gruters campaign include developer Pat Neal and three companies owned by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota, his wife, Sandra Buchanan, and their son, James Buchanan. Gruters previously worked for Buchanan.
Gruters has not yet put any of his own money into his campaign, though he said he plans to do so. He's planning another fundraiser in August, he said.
State Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, has raised $50,800 in campaign funds for the District 71 seat. No opponent has filed against him.
State Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, has filed for re-election in 2018 but has not reported any campaign finance activity.
Kate Irby, Herald online/political reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7055 or at kirby@bradenton.com. You can follow her on Twitter @KateIrby
This story was originally published July 16, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Florida House candidates from Manatee, Sarasota raise huge early money for campaigns."