A quartet of Senate Republicans made the $100,000 club in the third quarter to lead their chamber in fundraising efforts for the three months that ended Sept. 30.
Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, topped all candidates by taking in $154,725 for the latest campaign reporting period, according to reports filed with the Department of State. Latvala, a freshman legislator in name only, has been talked about as a possible future Senate president. He served eight years in the Senate from 1994 to 2002 and then after leaving returned in 2010.
The strong quarter brought Latvala's total contributions to $290,797.
Meanwhile, Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, also a possible future Senate president, raised $101,775 for the quarter, third highest among Senate candidates. Gardiner has so far raised $215,664.
Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto raised $106,074 for her re-election. She faces Rep. Trudi Williams, R-Fort Myers, for the District 27 seat that runs from Broward County to Lee County. The freshman senator has raised $345,399 for her first re-election defense. Williams raised $20,765 for the period, bringing her total to $67,131.
Rounding out the club was Jacqueline Porter, a Republican candidate for the Senate District 7, who took out a $100,000 loan for her bid to replace Sen. Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach. The District 7 race is one of the most heated and closely-watched Senate campaigns. Frank Bruno, chairman of the Volusia County Council, raised $97,528. Rep. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, raised $65,247 for the quarter in that race.
The top raising Democrat was incumbent Sen. Maria Sachs, D-Boca Raton, who collected $38,950 for the period.
She was followed by Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Davie, who raised $38,228 in his bid to replace Sen. Nan Rich, D-Weston, who is term-limited.
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, raised $30,193 in her bid for re-election.
Another open seat has drawn a crowd. Senate District 19, a seat that will be relinquished by Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, who is term-limited, has drawn at least four candidates. Only two candidates, Siplin's wife Victoria Siplin and former Rep. Geraldine Thompson, have raised any money. Siplin collected $17,960, bringing her total to $39,510. Thompson raised $16,858 for the quarter, raising her total to $34,369.,
