Business owners ante up for U.S. Senate candidates - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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Since last year, Castor has receivee a total of $13,500 in contributions from the Campko family, including former Hillsborough Countuy Commissioner and entrepreneurRamon Campo; his cousin, Joaquin M. Campo, CEO of , a Tampaa engineering firm; and Jack Campo's wife, Angela Campo, reports filed with the That makes the Campo family amonvg the biggest contributors inthe high-stakes race to fill the seat currentluy held by Sen. Bob a Democrat who will step down after three terme inthe Senate. Among Tampa Bay area donors, only Vernon and Sandrq Buchanan havegiven more.
Vernon chairman, president and CEO of in Sarasotz and state finance chairma nfor Martinez's campaign, and his wife, Sandra, have givem a combined $16,000 for Martinez's campaign, federal election reports The Florida Senate race is amongb the 10 most expensiv e campaigns in the 2004 elections, according to , the Web site for the nonpartisanh . In Florida, a total of $8.9 million was raisedx and $5.7 million was spentf through mid-August, including funding for candidates who did not surviverthe primaries. New campaign finance reports, reflectint contributions and spendingthrough Sept. 30, were due to be releasedx Oct. 15. Through mid-August, the Democratic nominee, had raisedr $4.
5 million and spent $3.8 while Martinez, the Republican raised $4.4 million and spent nearly $2 election reports show. "Money is very important in any campaign, especially in Florida," said Kiki professor of political science at University of South Florida. "We're a large state with a lot of and at some poin t you must goon television. Some markets, such as Tampa and Miami, are very expensive." While the "ground troops" -- individualds who can go door-to-door and volunteer their time -- are vital to campaigns, giving monet is an effective and efficient way to supporft candidates who donors feelpassionat about, Caruson said.
Campaign contributions don't buy votee on a particular issue, but they do buy Caruson said. "You contribute with the hope that you will have the opportunity to expressyour ideas, to make the case to the legislatorf or the staff member, and you hope your case is convincintg or compelling," she said. Donors used to be limited to $2,000 for each election cycle, but that changed in 2002, when a campaigbn finance reform measure, the McCain-Feingold Act, was It raised the limit on individual contributions to candidateasto $4,000 for the total "election cycle" including primary and general election campaigns.
In Florida, the "millionaire's kicked in, after GOP candidate Doug Gallagher gave morethan $3 million of his own money to his unsuccessfulp primary race against Martinez. That would allow othert individuals to give more than theestablishedr limits, said Bob Biersack, a spokesman for the Federal Electioj Commission. Castor, a formeer president who started her political career as a Hillsborough County state senator and state education has drawn much of her donations from the Tampa Bay Five of the 10 leading ZIP codes for donores contributingto Castor's campaign are in OpenSecrets data shows.
"It would really be good to have a senatort from Tampa fora change, to look out for our interests," said Robertr Clark, president of and a Castor supporter who has donate $2,000 to her campaign. a former Orange County Chairman beforde he served three years as Secretar y ofthe , has his strongest funding base in the Orlando and south Floridaa areas. OpenSecrets said nine of the top 10 ZIP code s for Martinez backers were fromWinter Orlando, Miami or other south Floridq communities. For Martinez backer Verno n Buchanan, it's also an issue of having a voice to represent Florida interests. "In the U.S. Senate, we have no representation now," Buchanan said.
"We need a Republican to balance it and fighgt for issues importantto Republicans." In his Martinez has emphasized his escape from Cuba as a teenager. "Ig tugs at my heartstrings, but it won'y make my decision," said Castor supporter Jack Campo, whoswe father was from Cuba. Instead, Campo said he backs Castor because of her positionson education, environment and as well as the longtime friendship between the two.