State Senate Minority Leader Al Lawson, who is challenging Rep. Allen Boyd from the left in the Democratic primary, won’t turn many heads with just $55,000 raised during the second quarter and less than $38,000 in cash on hand as of June 30.
Boyd, a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition, has had little trouble holding his 2nd district seat since 1996, even as the Tallahassee-based district has voted increasingly Republican in the past three presidential elections. President George W. Bush won the district by 6 points in 2000 and 8 points in 2004, while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) won the district by 9 points last year.
Meanwhile, Boyd posted a strong fundraising performance in the second quarter. He reported raising $374,000 in the period and had more than $1.5 million on hand as of June 30.
Among those who will be disappointed in Lawson’s weak fundraising total will be Republican campaign strategists, who have been hopeful that they might steal the 2nd district if the more liberal Lawson is successful in his primary bid.
