Brian Nathan, the first Democrat in the running for now-Lt. Gov. Jay Collins’ old Senate seat, is rapidly raising cash.
The Tampa Democrat says he has collected “five figures” — more than $10,000 — for his run in Senate District 14. He did so within 48 hours of announcing his candidacy days after Collins’ appointment to statewide office.
“We’re building a people-powered campaign,” Nathan said. “Every donation, every social share, and every volunteer signup sends a strong message: working families are ready for a voice in Tallahassee that fights for them.”
While the campaign did not release details on the donations, and won’t need to do so until after September, an announcement from the campaign said the funds come primarily from small-dollar donations and “shares from union members, veterans and working families.”
Nathan currently serves as Vice President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers local 915, a powerful force in Democratic politics. Nick Biscardi, Nathan’s Campaign Manager, said the existing leadership roles the candidate already holds in the community fueled the successful drive for donations out of the gate.
“The response to Brian’s announcement has been nothing short of incredible,” Biscardi said. “In just the first 48 hours, we’ve seen an outpouring of energy, momentum, and support that shows people are ready for change. This launch has set the tone for the campaign ahead, and we couldn’t be more excited to keep building on it.”
A Special Election has not yet been called to fill Collins’ seat but is expected to be called soon. The Legislative Session begins in January.
Nathan has already filed to run for the seat in 2026, when it was scheduled to be up for election.
So far, the only other candidate in the race is Republican Amaro Lionheart, who had filed to challenge Collins in a Primary nearly a year ago. Lionheart hasn’t reported any outside fundraising, but before the end of June reported more than $50,000 in candidate loans.
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