In his most recent fundraising email ask, Rep. Charlie Crist (D) is sounding the alarm of the tidal wave of campaign cash his campaign will soon have to confront.
Rep. Crist will once again be targeted by Republicans as this “toss-up” congressional seat is seen as being vulnerable, and possibly a pick up for national Republicans, who now have several congressional candidates in the race they can see themselves getting behind.
Crist’s fundraising letter mentions his “well-funded challengers” and the NRCC threat he faces.
“I am grateful for everyone who has chipped in so far to help our campaign prepare for the millions being readied to spend against us by the NRCC, special interest groups, and well-funded challengers that want to defeat us and take back the House.”- Charlie Crist
Remember, Crist, defeated Rep. David Jolly (R) in 2016 by a narrow 52 to 48 percent point margin because Jolly could not raise the money needed to defend his seat.
Also, the anti-Trump Jolly proved himself to be the dumbest of all 2016 politicians when the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) refused to support him after he incredibly introduced his Stop Act, a measure that questioned and limited the amount of time a sitting member of congress could spend campaigning.
Jolly shot himself in the foot with the GOP and eventually left the party.
But times have changed and the NRCC is splitting with cash and ready to mix it up again to regain control of the House of Representatives. But even though Republicans are ready for him, Crist appears ready them as well, and for the onslaught of campaign cash, they will target him with.
To date, Crist has $2,565,351.11 in the bank to spend.
That is a whole lot of campaign dinero to have this early in the cycle with more expected to flow into Crist’s coiffures. Crist will also have the support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), who is also poised (but with not as much cash as the NRCC) to defend his seat.
The Republicans
The GOP congressional primary race in FL’s CD 13 will feature former government affairs advocate Amanda Makki who has raised the most in the race with $417,000 raised with $403,000 still in the bank.
Air Force veteran Anna Paulina Luna, recently entered the race and has ramped up her already-established social media presence. Cash is flowing in, and with the endorsement of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R), and the potential support of Donald Trump, Jr., Luna could soon be considered the frontrunner in the race to defeat Crist.
George Buck, Jr., who served in both the U.S. Army and Air Force Reserve, is a retired firefighter that has just been given the NRCC’s Young Gun “On the Radar” designation, is also in the running. This Buck’s second attempt at unseating Crist.
Makki is also “On the Radar” with the NRCC.
