Sarasota Democrat Edward James III continued to put up strong fundraising numbers in January.
James collected $14,525 for his campaign to unseat incumbent GOP state Rep. Ray Pilon and a political committee backing James brought in another $2,750.
James and his associated committee now have $180,943 in cash after deducting expenditures, compared to $102,886 for Pilon, who collected another $7,295 in January.
Pilon could not raise money for much of January because the Florida Legislature was in session. But that did not stop state Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, from posting another big fundraising total.
Steube collected $18,700 in January and a political committee supporting Steube’s bid for a state Senate seat covering Sarasota County and part of Charlotte County pulled in another $11,000. But Steube trailed Senate rival Doug Holder, a former state representative from Sarasota, in January fundraising. Holder collected $11,500 and a political committee supporting his campaign raised $26,000.
The two other Republicans seeking the Senate seat, former Sarasota County commissioner Nora Patterson and businessman Rick Levine, raised $6,652 and $2,925 in January respectively.
Steube leads the pack of Senate candidates with $278,824 in cash on hand.
