Gwen Graham, daughter of former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, raised “more than $375,000” in the first three months of her congressional campaign.
As a Democrat and former administrator of Leon County Schools, Graham is running for Florida’s largely Republican Second Congressional District, looking to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Southerland. The district covers most of the eastern Panhandle, from Tallahassee to Panama City.
“This was our first big test, and we passed with flying colors,” Graham wrote on her site. “Thanks to grassroots support from people like you, we’re sending a clear message that we will win this race.”
Graham’s initial financing reports say she has approximately $300,000 in her campaign account as of July 1. More specific fundraising totals for the three months that ended June 30 will appear in the full report July 15. This will be the first fundraising quarter since entering the contest April 2.
Despite her strong fundraising, money will not be Graham’s problem. In a report from Washington DC-based analysts Rothenberg Political and Cook Political Reports, Republican Southerland will win re-election, mainly due to the area’s demographics skewing conservative.
The major obstacle for Graham is to induce a largely Republican area “she’s worth supporting over Southerland.”
