Charlie Crist informed the public on Monday that he has raised more than $500,000 in his first three months as a candidate in Pinellas County’s 13th Congressional District contest.
“We’re about to report an historic first quarter for a non-incumbent, non-special election Democrat in Florida,” Crist said in an email sent out to supporters.
The former Republican turned independent turned Democrat is challenging Eric Lynn, a former Defense Department official in the Obama administration, for the Democratic nomination for Congress. The winner of their primary election this August will be considered the big favorite come November, after the recent redistricting of the district makes it much more favorable for a Democrat to win.
The Lynn campaign was not impressed by the Crist announcement.
“Charlie Crist and his supporters must be disappointed to be so far behind Alex Sink’s first quarter in comparison and just a little ahead of Eric Lynn’s, particularly given the strength of Eric’s grassroots support,” said Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Lynn campaign. Sink raised more than $1 million in the first few months of the frenzied campaign against David Jolly that took place in early 2014. Lynn himself raised more than $400,000 in his first three months of fundraising in 2015.
“It is clear that Democrats in Pinellas are responding to Eric Lynn, who shares their Democratic values, principles and will fight for change in Washington,” Burton added.
The Lynn campaign is expected to announce their fundraising totals for the last quarter of 2015 in the coming days.
