Monday, August 3, 2009

Manatee County is only a drop in the bucket for Crist

A visit back to the Federal Election Commission's Web site reveals that it is now a bit easier to find out who exactly has donated to Charlie Crist's Senate campaign, which last month reported collecting a whopping $4.4 million - including more than $4.1 million from individual donors.

So far, Manatee County residents have donated barely a fraction of the total take. Donors who list mailing addresses in Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Parrish, etc., have donated a total of $31,200 to Crist, according to the FEC.

Donors can donate up to $2,400 for Crist's campaign for the Republican nomination, and another $2,400 for the general election.

Manatee residents who have donated the max include developers Nathan Benderson, Carlos Beruff and Pat Neal; and David Wick, vice president of Cargor Inc. Additionally, Florida Senate president John McKay has donated $2,400 to the governor.

Crist's financial support from Sarasota County, has been at least three times as rich, according to records. Residents with addresses in Sarasota, Venice, etc. have donated a total of almost $94,000. Among Sarasota residents donating the maximum amounts to Crist is U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Sarasota.

Other major Senate candidates have yet to really put out their hats for contributions from local residents.

Crist's chief rival for the Republican nomination, former Florida House speaker Marco Rubio, reported no contributions from Manatee County residents, and only $750 from Sarasota County. In all, Rubio has reported more than $604,000 in contributions, including more than $578,000 from individual donors.

On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Kendall Meek, D-Miami, reported more than $2.9 million in contributions, including more than $2.1 million from individual donors. Of that, only $510 - from a single donor - came from Manatee, and $17,400 came from Sarasota.

The second-leading fund raiser on the Democratic side, state Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, collected $390,000 in contributions - but none from Manatee or Sarasota.

1 comment:

  1. I personally feel Marco Rubio would be a much more Republican candidate than Crist, and that all true Republicans shouls support him.

    ReplyDelete