Even after being banned from all the major social media outlets, Conservative investigative reporter Laura Loomer has still managed to raise $560k for her congressional campaign in Florida.
Loomer, who is running in Florida’s 21st congressional district against Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel, outraised the incumbent congresswoman for the third straight federal campaign reporting cycle but still trails in cash on hand.
According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Rep. Frankel leads Loomer by about a $1 million cash on hand, but that’s because in 2018 she ran unopposed and didn’t have to spend money on an opponent
After the 2018 election, Frankel showed $967,475 cash left over. To date, Frankel has roughly $1,185,000 while Loomer has $127K.
You can do the math. If you subtract the million or so carried over from 2018, the two women would be in a virtual fundraising tie.
So with the Coronavirus having all-but shut down all campaigns, including fundraising efforts across the nation, candidates have had to get really creative in order to keep potential supporters and voters engaged.
Frankel has taken part in and put together several Coronavirus Teletownhall meetings and press events to keep reporters and constituents apprised of what she and fellow members of the Florida Democratic congressional delegation were doing during the shutdown.
Loomer has also had to pivot, being relegated to sending out emails and even making protective masks. Loomer’s campaign appears to also be the first in the country to organize a blood drive and encourage other campaigns to do the same due to the severe blood shortage created by social distancing.
But as both Loomer and Frankel do what they can to inform their respective constituents, could there be bad blood between the two women?
The Floridian reported that one of Loomer’s aides was booted out of Frankel’s Boca Raton, Florida by an office staffer who crumbled up a letter Loomer presented to her.
In the letter, Loomer asks Rep. Frankel to join her in pressuring “Big Tech” social media companies Facebook and Twitter in reversing “the bans and suspensions of all Americans” banned from their platforms until the COVID-19 threat passes.
According to Loomer, on March 13th, her deputy campaign manager visited Rep. Frankel’s Boca Raton, Florida office with the letter asking the congresswoman to set aside any and all differences and work together to ensure that all Americans have access to daily COVID-19 updates via social media.
Upon entering Rep. Frankel’s legislative office, a staffer who refused to give her name, greeted Loomer’s campaign staffer and promptly kicked her out of the office and crumbled up the letter.
So much for civility.
