ATWATER, BONDI GET BOOSTS FROM MATCHING FUNDS

By News Service Florida

Already holding huge financial edges over their challengers, state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Attorney General Pam Bondi last week received influxes of state matching funds, according to campaign-finance reports filed Friday. Atwater received $332,285 in matching funds, while Bondi received $265,440. Combined with other money he has raised for his re-election bid, the Republican Atwater had collected a total of $2.37 million as of July 25, while spending only $124,031, according to his report. Updated figures for Atwater's Democratic opponent, William "Will" Rankin, were not posted on the state Division of Elections website Friday morning, but Rankin had raised $14,340 as of July 18. Bondi's contribution total, including the matching funds, was $1,775,636 as of July 25, and the Republican attorney general had spent only $154,155. One of Bondi's Democratic challengers, George Sheldon, reported raising $10,115 from July 19 to July 25, giving him an overall total of $295,976. Updated figures for Sheldon's opponent in the Aug. 26 Democratic primary, Perry Thurston, had not been posted on the elections website Friday morning.