Last week, Mike Wells Jr. set a new monthly fundraising mark in this year’s Pasco County Commission race with an initial haul of $20,700.
That record would not last for long. Mike Moore, who is running to replace Pat Mulieri in District 2, topped it with an April where he raised $22,300. That’s nearly double his best previous month of November 2013, and brings his total campaign war chest to just under $73,000.
At least $13,000 of that month came from people and companies involved in real estate sales and development. It included a $500 donation from Barbara Wilhite, a former deputy county attorney in New Port Richey who now represents various developers.
Moore’s fundraising lead increased significantly over his Republican competitors, former state Rep. Ken Littlefield and Zephyrhills financial analyst Bob Robertson. Littlefield raised $2,200 in April, while Robertson collected checks totaling $551. That brings Littlefield to $4,400 overall, and Robertson $11,411.
Commissioner Henry Wilson, who Wells is facing in his District 4 race, continues to trail his new opponent when it comes to fundraising. Wilson raised just $200 in April, bringing his total to $19,245.
All of these candidates will face off against each other in the August primaries. The winner of the District 2 race among Littlefield, Moore and Robertson will battle Democrat Erika Remsberg in the November election, if no one else files to run, while Wells and Wilson are looking at an open primary where the winner there will claim the commission seat.
