Galvano, Putnam committees bring in bucks

BY THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

A political committee led by Senate Majority Leader Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, raised $108,500 from Sept. 10 to Sept. 16, as Republicans look to maintain their large edge in the Senate during the November elections. Galvano's committee, known as Innovate Florida, also spent slightly more than $52,000 during the week-long period. The biggest chunk of spending, $25,000, went to a committee headed by state Rep. Frank Artiles, a Miami Republican who is in a hotly contested race for a Senate seat. Galvano's committee had about $705,000 in cash on hand as of Sept. 16, according to a newly filed finance report. During the week-long period, the Galvano committee's large contributors included a Florida Medical Association PAC, which contributed $50,000. Meanwhile, a political committee linked to state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam reported raising $89,200 during the period. The committee, known as Florida Grown, had nearly $4 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 16, according to a report posted on the state Division of Elections website. The Putnam committee's contributors during the period were led by Disney Worldwide Services, which anted up $50,000.