Parties put money into Miami-Dade Senate race

TALLAHASSEE – State Republican and Democratic leaders are plowing money into a race for a Miami-Dade County Senate seat. 

The race in District 36 pits incumbent Republican Ileana Garcia against Democrat Raquel Pacheco. 

The Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, which is headed by incoming Senate president Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, made nearly $177,000 in in-kind contributions to Garcia’s campaign from mid-March through July 15, paying for expenses such as staff members and polling, according to a state Division of Elections database. 

Meanwhile, the Florida Democratic Party and the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which is headed by Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, D-Plantation, had made $28,330 in in-kind contributions to Pacheco’s campaign since she entered the race in June.