The race for a state House seat covering much of northern Sarasota County is starting to heat up, with allies of Republican James Buchanan unleashing several attacks against Democrat Margaret Good.
The hardball tactics are a sign the contest likely is close.
The district has a relatively narrow partisan split. President Donald Trump won it by 4.4 percent points but Democrats have targeted the seat and are pouring money into the race in the hopes that the political climate has shifted in their favor.
Good's campaign reported Wednesday that the candidate raised $164,903.33 from Dec. 1 through Jan. 4 between her campaign account and a political action committee. Good now has collected more than $300,000 between her campaign and the PAC. Buchanan's latest fundraising report was not posted online as of early Wednesday evening and his campaign did not respond to a request to provide the information. He had raised $227,130 through Nov. 30. Updated fundraising figures also weren't immediately available for Libertarian candidate Alison Foxall. She raised $11,097 through Nov. 30.
With the Feb. 13 election less than five weeks away and absentee voting already underway, the candidates are starting to ramp up their spending on ads.
Buchanan, a Sarasota real estate professional who is the son of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, is getting help from outside groups. A PAC called Leadership for Florida’s Future paid for a mailer attacking Good for supporting expanding Medicaid in Florida under the Affordable Care Act. The mailer calls the ACA “possibly the most destructive government program in recent history” and describes Good as an ally of Democratic U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader in the House.
A television ad that began airing last week attacks Good’s record as an attorney and her alleged views on immigration.
The television ad says that “Good defended allegations of fraud, negligence, Ponzi schemes and financial mismanagement” and adds that she “sides with liberals in making Sarasota a sanctuary city for illegal aliens” and “even tried to stop a Sarasota school teacher for getting her rightfully earned bonus.”
Good campaign manager Kevin Lata called the television ad “30 seconds of lies… funded by special interests groups and insiders who want to continue business as usual in Tallahassee.” Lata did not immediately respond to questions asking for specifics about why the ad is inaccurate and the Herald-Tribune has not independently reviewed Good's legal cases.
“Margaret Good will stand up for our community,” Lata added. “She will ensure everyone has affordable and accessible healthcare, invest in education, and protect our environment. It is time Buchanan Junior man up and call on these special interests groups to take down their false advertisements.”
Lata also drew attention to a letter Good, 41, sent to Buchanan, 35, last week asking him to debate her. Buchanan’s campaign has said the candidate will not participate in any public forums.
“It is beyond time he debates Margaret Good in a public setting as opposed to hiding behind the special interests groups who are lying about her record and distorting those she has represented in court,” Lata said.