West, Murphy mostly gather funds from outside Treasure Coast
July 17, 2012 at 6:28 am
By Jonathan Mattise
Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers
Congressional candidates U.S. Rep. Allen West and challenger Patrick Murphy padded their multimillion-dollar campaign war chests again last quarter, but most of their big bucks are still coming from outside the Treasure Coast.
West, a Plantation Republican who’s renting a Palm Beach Gardens house, hauled in more than $2.2 million from April through June. About 180 contributions came in from the St. Lucie and Martin section of District 18, totaling just over $52,000. He clocks in with almost $90,000 from Martin and St. Lucie contributors this cycle.
Murphy, a Fort Lauderdale accountant renting in Jupiter, had his best fundraising quarter to date by adding about another half-million dollars to his coffers since April. Twenty Treasure Coast donors added just $6,435 to Murphy’s cause last quarter, putting his local dollars at more than $11,000 for the cycle.
Murphy shelled out about $262,000 last quarter — most for salaries, consulting, and a $19,900 slate of political mailers. Out of the $2.3 million he’s raised this cycle, Murphy still has $1.3 million left to spare.
West made his fundraising rounds well outside the district last quarter. He flew to campaign events in Denver, Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., Houston, Oklahoma City and New York.
West spent $1.9 million last quarter and has $3.7 million left from the almost $10 million he has brought in this election cycle. Most of his expenses went toward an onslaught of direct mailings.
Republican Martin County Sheriff Robert Crowder topped his first quarter effort, but not by much. Crowder raised almost $37,000 from April through June, bringing his total haul to about $64,000. Almost all of it came locally.
His two biggest expenditures — $10,440 for his qualifying fee and another $13,000 for polling. Crowder spent about $42,000 last quarter.
Democrats Jim Horn and Jerry Buechler did not report additional fundraising activities for the last quarter. Horn is working largely off a $175,000 self-loan. Buechler said he is using $20,000 of his own money.CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS
U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Palm Beach Gardens (relocated from Plantation)
Amount raised this period: $2,265,004
Amount spent this period: $ 1,899,839
Total monetary contributions: $9,924,690
Total loans: $0
Total expenditures: $6,254,648
Cash on hand: $3,732,019
Martin/St. Lucie donations this period: 184 contributions; $52,409 total
Selected noteworthy contributions:
$21,275: Allen West North Carolina Victory Committee
$3,000: 21st Century PAC; Comcast Corporation PAC
$2,150: James Crocker, president of Waterblasting Technologies in Stuart
$1,000: Peter Busch, president of Southern Eagle Distributing
$500: Amin Khoury, Jupiter Island resident and CEO of B/E Aerospace Inc. in Wellington; Calvin Turnquest, Tequesta councilman and state House District 82 Republican candidate
Robert Crowder, R-Stuart
Amount raised this period: $36,894
Amount spent this period: $40,659
Total monetary contributions: $63,694
Total loans: $0
Total expenditures: $41,626
Cash on hand: $21,992
Martin/St. Lucie donations this period: 42 contributions; $26,275 total
Selected noteworthy contributions:
$2,500: David Ralicki, Ralicki & Co. in Stuart
$1,000: Nathaniel Reed, Jupiter Island retiree; John Payson, Jupiter Island art dealer; Thomas Adamo Gonzalez, owner of Sunflower Educare Center in Port St. Lucie
$500: Marvin Mann, Martin County Sheriff’s Office deputy sheriff
Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter (relocated from Fort Lauderdale)
Amount raised this period: $507,098
Amount spent this period: $261,651
Total monetary contributions: $2,275,989
Total loans: $0Total expenditures: $989,562
Cash on hand: $1,287,888
Martin/St. Lucie donations this period: 20 contributions; $6,435 total
Selected noteworthy contributions:
$5,000: Democrats Win Seats PAC
$3,500: Planned Parenthood Action Fund PAC
$2,000: Nancy Pelosi for Congress
$1,000: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
$500: Bridget Baratta, executive director of Martin County Community Foundation; Jeffrey Leslie, president of ITS Telecom in IndiantownJim Horn, D-Palm City
Amount raised this period: none reported
Amount spent this period: none reported
Total monetary contributions: $5,000
Total loans: $175,200
Total expenditures: $2,705
Cash on hand: $177,783
Jerry Buechler, D-Port St. Lucie
No campaign finance activity reported.
U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge
Amount raised this period: $139,681
Amount spent this period: $60,414
Total monetary contributions: $827,191
Total loans: $0
Total expenditures: $340,497
Cash on hand: $586,848
Selected noteworthy contributions:
$5,000: American Society of Anesthesiologists PAC
$2,500: American Assn. of Orthopaedic Surgeons PAC
$2,000: Employees of Northrop Grumman Corp. PAC; National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors PAC
$1,000: NextEra Energy Inc. PAC; General Electric PAC
Richard Gillmor, Sebastian, no party affiliation
No campaign finance activity reported.
Shannon Roberts, D-Cape Canaveral
Amount raised this period: $2,227
Amount spent this period: $1,623
Total monetary contributions: $3,615
Total loans: $2,074
Total expenditures: $3,691
Cash on hand: $1,997
Marilyn Davis Holloman, Port St. Lucie, write-in candidateNo campaign finance activity reported.Source: Federal Election Commission
Tags | Allen West, Patrick Murphy, republicans

2013 The E.W. Scripps Co.