Fundraising has begun in what may become Florida’s most expensive governor’s race ever. Political committees no longer have limits on the contributions they can accept.
Governor Rick Scott set a record when he spent $85 million on his first gubernatorial campaign in 2010. Most of that money came from him and his wife. Other spending came from an independent political committee called Let’s Get To Work.
Scott’s total spending was triple the previous record - set by Charlie Crist in 2006. At that time, Crist spent nearly $25 million to win the governor’s office as a Republican. Now, the two biggest spenders ever for the office are expected to go head to head this November.Even though neither side has officially started campaigning yet, Scott and the Republicans have already amassed $43 million. Crist is now a Democrat and has only raised a fraction of that. But he can catch up thanks to a change in election law last year.
This time, candidates can take in large sums of cash through political committees. Those committees used to be held to a $500 limit, but now they can accept unlimited contributions.