DeSantis adds to his lead in the campaign

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political committee continued to rake in money in September, collecting about $5.47 million as he gears up for a 2022 re-election campaign.

DeSantis added to his huge fundraising lead over Democratic gubernatorial candidates Charlie Crist and Nikki Fried, according to finance reports posted Tuesday on the state Division of Elections website. Crist, a St. Petersburg congressman, collected about $654,000 for his campaign account and political committee during the month, while Fried, the state agriculture commissioner, brought in about $350,000.

The committee Friends of Ron DeSantis had about $58.3 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30 and raised $51.4 million during the first nine months of the year, according to a finance report. It raised more than $5 million in six of the months.

DeSantis, who is widely speculated as a 2024 presidential candidate, has been able to tap large and small donors from Florida and other parts of the country.

As examples, large contributions in September included $100,000 from a Florida Chamber of Commerce PAC; $50,000 from Charter Communications; $50,000 from the Committee of Safety Net Hospitals of Florida; $50,000 from Liberty Dental Plan Corp.; and $50,000 from TECO Energy, Inc., according to the report. The committee spent $228,814 during the month.

DeSantis has not opened a personal campaign account for the 2022 race, but that will provide another avenue for him to raise money.

Crist, a former Republican governor who became a Democrat, and Fried are raising money for committees and campaign accounts.

The committee Friends of Charlie Crist brought in $306,750 in September, while the Crist campaign account collected $347,479, the reports show. The committee had about $2.1 million on hand as of Sept. 30, while Crist’s campaign account had about $724,000.

Meanwhile, the Fried committee, known as Florida Consumers First, collected $194,949 in September, while her campaign account brought in $155,943. Florida

Consumers First had about $2.38 million on hand as of Sept. 30, while Fried’s campaign had $665,000.

State candidates, committees and parties faced a Tuesday deadline for filing updated finance reports. Among other statewide candidates:

Republican Attorney General Ashley Moody raised $342,355 in September for her political committee, Friends of Ashley Moody, and

$360,640 for her campaign account. The campaign total was bolstered by a $100,000 contribution from the Republican Party of Florida, which also picked up in-kind expenses for such things as campaign staff.

Republican Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis’ political committee, known as Treasure Florida, raised $180,750 in September, while his campaign raised $21,830. The committee also received a $50,720 in-kind

contribution of such things as lodging and food from Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Republican Agriculture Commissioner candidate Wilton Simpson, the Senate president from Trilby, raised about $495,000 for four political committees he leads, while also moving money among the committees. Simpson also raised $110,310 for his campaign

account.