With the help of Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan, EverBank Financial Corp. and Fidelity National Financial, Mayor Alvin Brown’s re-election campaign has hit the seven-figure fundraising milestone.
Brown raised $330,635 in April, pushing his total contributions to more than $1.1 million since he opened his campaign during the first part of last year.
The latest contributions also marked the highest monthly amount Brown has raised in either campaign. Of the $330,000-plus raised in April, almost $306,000 went to his state political action committee, according to reports. That also dwarfs the $148,000 raised in February, his previous high.
Khan and EverBank both donated $50,000 during April. Khan also gave $50,000 in February.
Fidelity National Financial and its board chair, Bill Foley, contributed $25,000 each.
Those larger contributors also set the stage for others to donate by hosting campaign events.
Khan and Rob Clements, EverBank CEO and board chair, co-hosted a fundraiser April 22.
Foley, Randy Quirk, Peter Sadowski and Rick Cox — all with Fidelity National Financial — along with Frank Martine of Fidelity National Services and Tom Sanzone of Black Knight Financial Services hosted a fundraiser April 30.
“He really has steadily been building support from business and community leaders,” said Hamilton Consulting President David Beattie, who is helping Brown in his re-election campaign. “He’s been very consistent. A million dollars is a nice milestone, but we’re a long way from the election.”
Outside the state committee, the $24,835 Brown raised for his local account is consistent with what he’s garnered the past couple of months.
His only high-profile challenger is City Council member Bill Bishop, who raised just more than $18,000 in his first campaign report since announcing in early April.
Bishop said Monday he is pleased with the total he was able to raise in about three weeks and that his campaign would hit its stride in the coming months.
“We’re picking up steam,” he said. “Everyone I talk to has been supportive.”
Other potential candidates, including Lenny Curry, Bill Gulliford and Jim Bailey (publisher of the Daily Record) — have not filed. All are Republicans, as is Bishop. Brown is a Democrat.
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