Republicans spar over who should drop out of congressional race

The Republican primary race to unseat Rep. Ted Deutch (D) could get a little contentious as the two candidates in the race have called on one another to drop out and support the other’s campaign.

During a recent Republican Women’s Federated meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, financial planner Paul Spain asked small business owner Nicholas Kimaz to drop out of the race and support his efforts.

When asked if he would do as Spain asked, Kimaz question Spain directly by saying,” you have run for congress five times” and lost, adding, “there is something wrong with this.”

Kimaz said he would not drop out and support Spain, instead asking that Spain to drop out and back his congressional campaign.

Spain has run for congress on several other occasions, bouncing back between three congressional districts to run for office, the first being in 2014 when he challenge Rep. Lois Frankel (D and lost. Spain then decided to run in the 2016 contested primary race against now-Congressman Brian Mast (R) in FL CD 18, before striking a deal with Mast to drop out of the race and support his eventual winning campaign.

Now, Spain has moved back down to Broward County where he is challenging Deutch in Florida’s 22^nd congressional district.

Both Kimaz and Spain have their work cut out for them against Deutch when it comes to fundraising. Deutch is not the fundraiser that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) is, but has managed to raise upwards of $1 million in each of his past three congressional elections.

Kimaz has the upper hand against Spain this election cycle when it comes to raising cash, having raised $11,625 this election cycle, as opposed to Spain’s $95 raised.

Both men have loaned their respective campaigns money, Kimaz doiling out $7,950, while Spain loaned his campaign $928.

Spain’s $928 loan this cycle brings the  total amount he has loaned his congressional campaigns to $147,710.73.

Meanwhile, all eyes are still on Shark Tank and The Floridian Publisher Javier Manjarres, who continues exploring a congressional run against Rep. Deutch.

According to the Federal Elections Commission, a federal Super PAC associated with Manjarres has  raised $316,847.54 at the end of 2017, and according to a source close to the committee, the PAC has already eclipsed the $500,000 mark as of February 28 of this year.

The American First Agenda PAC outraised Rep. Ted Deutch in small dollar donations by $16,000. Deutch’s 2017 year end small dollar donation total was $300,089.48