Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to be the biggest beneficiary of the state’s candidate matching-funds program, drawing more than 60 percent of the money doled out the past six weeks.
The state Division of Elections on Monday posted a report showing that DeSantis received $450,147 last week from the matching-funds program. That pumped up his overall funding from the program to $5.093 million.
In all, the state has distributed $8.36 million to six candidates. In the program, public funds are provided to match contributions of $250 or less from individuals to candidates’ campaign accounts. Matching funds are not available for contributions to political committees or outside of statewide races.
DeSantis received $3.2 million from the voter-approved program when he was elected governor in 2018. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist received $161,173 in matching funds last week, bringing his six-week total to nearly $1.71 million.
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Crist defeated Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried last week in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Fried drew $30,536 in matching funds last week, putting her total at $944,850. State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis received $7,300 in matching funds last week, bringing his total to $186,492.
Attorney General Ashley Moody pulled in $8,150 from the state last week, putting her total at $251,723. Aramis Ayala, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, and Adam Hattersley, the Democratic nominee for chief financial officer, have not drawn matching funds.
Daniel Uhlfelder, an attorney from Santa Rosa Beach who lost to Ayala last week in the primary, has received $177,585 through the program, including $24,718 last week.
Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, will face Democrat Naomi Blemur in the race for agriculture commissioner, but they have not received matching funds.
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