Orange City Commissioner Jim Gray[1] continues to hold a major fundraising advantage over former state Rep. Tom Keen[2] in the final weeks of the Orlando City Council District 1 race.
Gray raised $58,000 compared to Keen’s $22,000 — which includes Keen’s $6,500 loan to his campaign. The latest campaign finance reports cover activity from July 1 to Oct. 8.
The race’s other two candidates, Manny Acosta and Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund[3], have raised $3,400 and $2,000, respectively, so far.
On Nov. 4, Orlando City voters will decide who should represent Districts 1, 3 and 5.
In an interview, Keen acknowledged that he has been financially outmatched. But he said his strategy is knocking on more than 4,000 doors so far and hoping endorsements from U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost and state Rep. Anna Eskamani help bring out the Democratic vote in the district, which leans blue.
“If you will, my superpower is getting out and talking to people at the door,” Keen said. “I’ve gone through three pairs of shoes this election cycle, knocking on doors.”
Keen said the dynamics he is facing are similar to his surprise victory[4] when he flipped the House District 35 seat in a January 2024 Special Election. He later lost his bid for re-election[5] in November 2024, which led him to run for the Orlando City Council.
“I’ve always been the underdog[6], always underestimated,” Keen said.
Gray did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The race is nonpartisan, but Gray is the lone Republican running against three Democrats.
Gray’s donors included the Orlando Magic, the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association[7], the National Commerce Real Estate Development Association’s local chapter, the Florida Association of Realtors, the unions representing local firefighters and police.
For the entire campaign cycle, Gray has raised about $113,000 total and still has a war chest of $43,000 after spending about $70,000 so far.
Meanwhile, Keen’s funds are running low. Keen has spent $42,560 of the $46,044 he has raised in total.
Keen’s donors include the Florida Project, a political committee whose Chair is the managing director for the Florida Alliance, which supports progressive candidates and issues. A political committee for state Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith also wrote a $1,000 check. Keen has raised money as a candidate and through his Friends of Tom Keen[8] political committee.
References
- ^ Jim Gray (www.reelectjimgray.com)
- ^ Tom Keen (www.keenforfl.com)
- ^ Sunshine Linda-Marie Grund (www.sunshinegrund.com)
- ^ surprise victory (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ later lost his bid for re-election (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ underdog (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association (floridapolitics.com)
- ^ Friends of Tom Keen (dos.elections.myflorida.com)