Tampa attorney Brian Willis raised over $9,000 in his race for the Hillsborough County Commission District 6 seat last month, and leads all Democrats in fundraising in the race with $86,233.
In a statement, Willis noted that his total number of contributors outranks the other three Democrats in the race – attorney and Sierra Club official Pat Kemp, former Plant City Mayor John Dicks, and former county commissioner and Tampa city council member Tom Scott.
“The hard work we put in meeting with voters across the entire county for more than a year has allowed us to build a countywide campaign.” Willis said, “voters see a chance to elect new leadership and are giving my campaign their support.”
Willis also notes that he helped found the pro-transit group Connect Tampa Bay, and registered disappointment with the County Commission’s rejection of putting the Go Hillsborough half-cent sales tax referendum on the ballot last month.
“I’ve have been working locally and regionally to improve transportation since graduating from law school and returning home,” he said. ‘My supporters know that I am going to fight for a better transportation system. The County Commission’s refusal to let the people vote on the transportation plan has shown voters why we need new leadership. Traditional politicians are not going to solve our problems.”
Dicks reported raising $6,302 in April, while Scott raised $1,175. Kemp has yet to post her numbers with the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.
The four Democrats will face off in the August 30 primary. The winner will take on the victor in the GOP primary between Jim Norman and Tim Schock. Neither man had filed their take for April as of late Tuesday afternoon.
