Greg Steube keeps fundraising lead

Greg Steube has maintained the fund-raising lead he established early on in the race for the District 67 seat in the Florida House of Representatives.

In the first three months of this year, Steube raised $26,555, bringing the total raised to more than $176,000, according to reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections. After spending more than $26,000 in the first quarter of 2010, Steube had more than $129,000 in cash on hand.

Three other Republican candidates -- Jeremiah J. Guccione, Robert K. McCann and Marie Nisco -- have announced for the seat, but as of Monday afternoon Steube was the only one to have qualified for the Aug. 24 ballot by submitting the required number of petition signatures.

Incumber Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, cannot run for re-election because of term limits.

The latest campaign finance reports, covering activity in the first three months of 2010, had been filed by all the campaigns, except for Guccione's, by Monday afternoon.

McCann reported raising $20,860 in contributions during the first quarter, bringing his total raised to more than $89,000; he also has loaned his campaign an additional $25,000. As of March 31, he had almost $40,000 in cash on hand.

This was the first time in the campaign that Nisco has filed a finance report. She reported no contributions or expenses, but did list a $300 loan from herself to the her campaign.

The lone Democrat in the race, Z.J. Hafeez, reported collecting more than $19,900 in cash and in-kind contributions. He spent almost $3,600, bring his cash on hand to almost $50,000 -- including a $10,000 loan from himself.

In another race of local interest, Republican Jim Boyd, the only candidate in the District 68 race, reported collecting more than $13,700 in cash and in-kind contributions, and spending almost $7,100. As of March 31, he had more than $72,000 in the bank -- including $12,500 in loans from himself.

District 68 incumbent Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, cannot run for re-election because of term limits.

But Galvano has been busy raising money for his bid for the 21st Senate District seat now held by Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton.

In the first three months of 2010, Galvano raised almost $52,000, bringing his cash on hand to more than $168,000

To read the campaign finance reports, including the list of donors and itemized lists of expenses, go here.