A political committee tied to state Sen. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, raised $139,250 last week as she tries to fend off a challenge in the Nov. 8 election from Republican Jay Collins, according to a newly filed finance report.
The Building the Bay committee last week also funneled $247,000 to the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which is headed by Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, and is spearheading efforts to elect Democratic Senate candidates.
Among the contributions last week to the Building the Bay committee were $50,000 from a Florida Education Association political committee and $15,000 from the organization Ban Assault Weapons Now, according to the filing posted on the state Division of Elections website.
The committee had about $47,000 in cash on hand as of Friday. Cruz and Collins are running in a redrawn Senate District 14 in Hillsborough County.
