Higher political-donor limits boost Orange incumbents

Orange County incumbents are the big beneficiaries of the new, larger campaigndonation limits in Florida’s local races, campaign records show.

Mayor Teresa Jacobs and Commissioner Jennifer Thompson are the only county candidates to report multiple $1,000 checks from donors so far. The previous cap was $500, but as of Nov. 1, the local limits doubled.

Those bigger checks helped propel Thompson to bring in nearly $100,000 for her 2014 re-election campaign, recent reports show. That puts her well ahead of the other candidates vying for her east Orange District 4 seat.

Thompson’s closest announced competitor, attorney Euri Cerrud, has raised about $20,000, though none of that has arrived from $1,000 checks. Thompson has received 31 of those maximum contributions so far.

Real-estate, engineering and legal interests tied to the development industry account for the vast majority of Thompson’s larger donations. Also among the $1,000-check donors to her campaign: Orlando Sports Holdings, the company tied to the Orlando City Soccer team; and Mears Transportation Group, the cab-and-bus company.

Critics of the increased limits predicted they would further empower those few deeppocketed donors who can afford to give larger donations. Proponents said the higher giving limits would have little impact initially, yet would help reflect the higher costs of running modern campaigns.

Jacobs has received 40 of the max donations of $1,000 so far, helping her raise nearly $455,000 as of the end of last month. Jacobs has only a pair of write-in candidates vying to challenge her so far, though former Orlando police Chief Val Demings said she’s considering entering the 2014 mayoral race.

One other Orange County candidate has received a single $1,000: incumbent School Board member Daryl Flynn. The education incumbent faces no announced challenger yet.