Florida Republicans raised $15.621 million from April 1 to August 15, significantly outpacing the Florida Democratic Party’s $2.249 million, with the GOP benefiting from large contributions and a broad donor base, while Democrats struggled with smaller, less concentrated donations.

Florida Republicans raised $15.621 million in the April 1 to August 15 reporting period, outpacing the Florida Democratic Party, which reported $2.249 million in contributions.

The Republican Party of Florida’s (RPOF) fundraising haul came from a mix of individual donors, corporate contributions, and Political Action Committees (PACs), according to Florida Division of Elections data. Large contributions included $100,000 from Our Democracy PAC, a Miami-based organization, and donations from telecommunications companies including AT&T and Charter Communications, each contributing $25,000. The party also received significant backing from the real estate sector, with major donations from developers and industry groups.

In contrast, the Florida Democratic Party’s contributions were more modest and relied heavily on smaller individual donations. While the Democrats did receive support from PACs and labor unions, the overall funding was significantly lower. The largest Democratic contribution came from the Florida Justice PC, which donated $35,000.

Geographically, Republican donations were strong across the state, with contributions coming from metropolitan areas like Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville. The Democratic Party’s fundraising was more dispersed, with notable support in traditionally blue areas, but without the large, high-dollar contributions seen in the Republican filings.

“In the darkness of night, Nikki Fried filed a financial report that confirmed what we all knew: the Florida Democrats have been faking ‘momentum’ all along. Fundraising indicates support from small to large donors for leaders and public policy. Nikki Fried’s paltry outcome demonstrates that there are few buyers for what Fried and Florida Democrats are selling. They are being outraised, outworked, out-registered, and were overcome in the Spring election cycle,” said RPOF Chairman Evan Power.

The finance reports were made public as the Florida Democrat delegation made its way to Chicago for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where Vice President Kamala Harris will be nominated as the party’s candidate in the 2024 General Election.

“I hope Nikki Fried flew coach on her way to the Democrat National Convention in Chicago as Democrats meet to complete the coup against their own primary voters,” Powers continued. The Florida Democrats notably did not make an announcement of its fundraising total, juxtaposing RPOF communications strategies in a likely effort of shying away from a lackluster fundraising cycle.

In the days leading up to the end of the contribution cycle, the RPOF announced that it surpassed a 1 million voter registration advantage over the state’s Democratic Party.

Democrats historically held a voter registration advantage in the state, peaking at approximately 700,000 more registered voters than Republicans in 2008, though the lead steadily diminished, and by 2021, Republicans surpassed Democrats. Several factors contributed to the shift, including the RPOF capitalizing on Florida’s population growth, particularly in attracting conservative-leaning individuals relocating from other states during the pandemic years.

Meanwhile, the Florida Democratic Party encountered logistical challenges, including a lack of sustained investment in voter registration efforts and alleged internal divisions that hindered the party’s ability to effectively counter Republican gains.