Kosmas ahead of Feeney in campaign fundraising

By Eun Kyung Kim

WASHINGTON _ Democrat Suzanne Kosmas raised nearly $108,000 more this year than Rep. Tom Feeney, the three-term Republican whose seat she hopes to win this fall, according to the latest federal election reports.

In a sign of how competitive the race has become, the former state lawmaker from New Smyrna reported $305,288 in donations. That's compared to the $195,602 Feeney raised for his re-election campaign, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Kosmas also began the new financial quarter, which began April 1, with $31,703 more in the bank than Feeney, an Oviedo Republican whose district includes north Brevard County.

The Democratic party recruited Kosmas last year with hopes of seizing upon the legal problems Feeney faces because of his ties to imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Feeney took a golf junket to Scottland with Abramoff in 2003.

Also running in the race is Clint Curtis, who ran as Feeney's Democratic challenger in 2006. Curtis reported $4,327 in campaign contributions and had $5823 in the bank.

While Kosmas and Feeney scrambled to raise money, Rep. Dave Weldon spent the last quarter refunding donations. In January, the seven-term Republican from Indialantic announced he plans to retire at the end of the year. He then endorsed state Sen. Bill Posey.

The Rockledge Republican raised $266,745 in donations _ including $2,000 from Weldon's campaign _ according to his election reports.

Democrat Steve Blythe, a Melbourne physician, raised $16,850 in donations, but that included a $5,000 contribution from himself. Blythe started the new quarter with $12,053 cash on hand.