Florida GOP raises $6.26M in third quarter, as Florida Dems collect just $539K

The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) outraised the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) last quarter by nearly a 12-to-1 margin.

Reports on funding from July through September show the RPOF raised more than $6.26 million. Over the same period, it spent more than $4.16 million in direct expenses. That means the state party closed the quarter with more than $25.9 million in the bank.

Meanwhile, FDP collected around $539,000 over the same three months. But the party spent quite a bit more than it raised in that time, almost $865,000. That means the party ended September with just over $15.2 million remaining.

First Coast Sunlight, a political committee chaired by Republican consultant David Johnson, gave $400,000 to the RPOF on Sept. 29. That marked the largest donation to the party, which also saw money flow in from gaming groups and business advocacy organizations.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida gave $250,000 to RPOF on Sept. 30, while Associated Industries of Florida donated $300,000 on Sept. 26. The GEO Group, a private prison company, gave $150,000 on Sept. 22, while Duke Energy Florida gave $100,000 on July 10.

A total of 16 donations of $100,000 or greater were made to the RPOF.

Notably, The Walt Disney Co. provided more than $143,000 in in-kind lodging and entertainment to the RPOF, a sign its relationship with the party has smoothed years after a high-profile conflict with Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The Democrats did not see any six-figure donations. The biggest contribution to the party came from the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a dedicated entity for winning Florida House seats. It gave $65,000 to the party on Aug. 21, but it notably is an affiliated committee with the state party.

Our Children Our Future, an organization based in California, gave the FDP $50,000 on Sept. 23.

The largest individual donor for Democrats was Michael Singer, an executive in Alachua who gave $50,000 on Sept. 25. By comparison, the RPOF’s largest contribution from an individual was from Taylor Collins, a West Palm Beach developer who gave $100,000 on Sept. 2.