In a stirring turn of events, Democrat Nate Douglas has managed to maintain a substantial cash advantage over his Republican adversary, Rep. Susan Plasencia. With the aim to unseat Plasencia, Douglas’ financial prowess seems to be giving him a significant stride forward.
Financing the Campaign
Douglas’ campaign kitty has swelled to nearly $266,000 this cycle, nearly double what incumbent Plasencia has managed to amass. After disbursing close to $155,000 in an aggressive campaign portraying Plasencia as an extremist antagonist of education, Douglas still has a comfortable $111,000 in his candidate account as of October 4. In stark contrast, Plasencia’s campaign account has dwindled to around $51,000.
Committee Contributions
Douglas’ political committee, Warriors of Change, has managed to secure another $90,000 in contributions, closing the period with over $47,000 in their coffers. Team Plasencia, on the other hand, ended the reporting period with less than $27,000.
The Bottom Line
Entering the last month of campaigning in House District 37, Douglas has over $158,000 at his disposal, while Plasencia has just under $78,000 between her committee and candidate accounts. This appears to be a significant advantage for Douglas, as the Democrats are viewing the race as a promising opportunity to seize a seat.
It’s worth noting that Plasencia won the seat representing the University of Central Florida area in 2022, by unseating Democratic Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. Smith, who has already won a Senate seat this cycle, will have an office in the Legislature next year, leaving Plasencia’s position hanging in the balance.
Party Support
Interestingly, Plasencia received more party support than Douglas, albeit not enough to bridge the spending gap. The Republican Party of Florida contributed approximately $31,000 in staff time and text messaging services; however, the Florida House Republican Campaign Committee remains mum despite providing substantial support to Plasencia in her challenge against Smith in 2022.
On the other hand, the Florida Democratic Party provided Douglas’ campaign with over $21,000 in staff salary and benefits. Additionally, the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee has offered more than $9,700 in extra field consulting to the 23-year-old Democrat.
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