Aaron Bean-Mike Weinstein Contest Topped $4.5 Million

The GOP primary contest for the Senate District 4 seat between former Rep. Aaron Bean and Rep. Mike Weinstein, R-Jacksonville, topped $4.5 million, according to a conservative estimate by the Florida Times-Union.

The contest was one of the key battles for the 2016 Senate presidency between Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, and Sen. Jack Latvala, R-St. Petersburg.

While Bean -- backed by Negron -- spent $448,167 to defeat Weinstein, who included $200,000 of his own money while spending $392,204, electioneering groups backed by future Senate leaders and those seeking leadership positions pumped in the rest.

As part of his (concession) speech, Weinstein said he is glad negative ads will no longer saturate Jacksonvilles airwaves, the Times-Union reported.

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