Amid a series of established Democratic endorsements, Drake Buckmans voice lifts as he talks about a lesser known group. He landed the support of the Federation of Manufactured Home Owners of Florida.

Its an organization that represents people who live in manufactured homes in the parks , and we have hundreds of them here, he said. They are an integral part of the community.

The Sarasota Democrat hopes that type of endorsement makes a difference as he runs against Republican Fiona McFarland in House District 72.

Hes unrolling endorsements as he fights for attention on what could be one of Floridas tightest House races. Hes lined up many of the usual suspects in Democratic politics: Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club and the Sarasota County Jewish Caucus. But he still faces a level of skepticism among forecasters and pundits on whether he has the raw resources to defend the seat.

The jurisdiction is one of the places where Democrats find themselves on defense this cycle, though thats not a complete surprise.

Democrat Margaret Good represents the district now, having flipped the seat in a 2018 Special Election and defended it in the last General Election. But that last race came down to fewer than 1,200 votes between her and Republican Ray Pilon. Both her House campaigns cost more than half a million dollars, reportedly one of the reasons she decided this year to run for Congress.

But Buckman believes he can compete for far less.

I dont know why you need a quarter of a million to win this race, he said. I say this as someone who has been in business here. I have met payroll. I have met budgets. I understand this district. I dont know why you need more than $100,000 to win this election.

McFarland, meanwhile, spent more than $200,000 during the Republican primary, and eked a win by just 266 votes out of 17,779 cast. For the moment, she lags Buckman in cash on hand, but shes raised $254,713 in total to Buckmans $82,295.

A strong fundraising period for McFarland post-primary prompted national forecaster CNalysis this weekend to shift the race to tilt Republican instead of tossup when it put the entire state House in the Safe Republican column. Indeed, the district is the only House jurisdiction in the state in which that forecaster predicts a change in party control; several other districts are still marked tossup.

But Buckman still feels confident. Hes been in regular communication with Florida House Victory, he said, and would welcome greater state investment. But mostly he feels confident he has more individual contributors from within the district.

Hes had 728 donors to McFarlands 543, with his average donation at $121 to her $518. Three of the Democrats donations come through political committees while 18 of the Republicans checks are listed from PACs. And 621 of Buckmans donations originate from Florida addresses while just 270 of McFarlands do the same.

He dismisses institutional support shes receiving, including a recent shout out by the Presidents son.

I dont think Donald Trump, Jr. is registered here, he said. To me, thats an endorsement from one New York Republican who doesnt live in the district to another New York Republican who doesnt live in the district.

Notably, McFarland was criticized in the primary for renting an apartment in House District 72 but owning property in neighboring Manatee County, though she stressed at the time shes living in Sarasota.

Regardless, Buckman plans in November to prove any cynics wrong.

We are going to win, he said.

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Can Drake Buckman win HD 72 on the cheap? - Florida Politics

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September 21, 2020 at 7:54 pm by Mr HomeBuilder
Category: Manufactured Homes