U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart has banked $900,000 for his first serious reelection challenge, according to campaign finance reports filed ahead of a midnight Thursday deadline.
The figure includes $206,153 raised in the last three months of 2007, and fundraiser Carlos Curbelo said the campaign is satisfied with its pace.
''We'll raise whatever money is necessary to make sure our message gets out,'' Curbelo said.
The Miami Republican faces a spirited challenge from former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, a Democrat who entered the race last week and has not yet filed any fundraising reports.
Martinez's campaign sent out a fundraising e-mail appeal this week and on Thursday mocked Díaz-Balart's figure as anemic. Other Florida members of Congress in seats targeted by the national parties, including Democrat Tim Mahoney of Palm Beach Gardens and Republican Vern Buchanan of Sarasota, raised nearly twice as much money as Díaz-Balart in the final fundraising quarter of 2007.
''By comparison to other members of Congress, it's evident that support for his reelection is timid,'' said Jeff Garcia, a Democratic strategist working with Martinez. ``One would have expected them to have raised more money.''
Buchanan, though, has less cash on hand than Díaz-Balart and has more than $1 million in debt. Mahoney, too, carries nearly $500,000 in debt. Díaz-Balart has zero debt.
The race pits two powerful and prominent Cuban-American leaders against each other in a Republican-leaning district that has seen little to no opposition to Díaz-Balart since he won the congressional seat in 1992.
Curbelo suggested the campaign's best fundraising tool may be the popular but combative ex-mayor himself.
''The third week of January, our phone started ringing off the hook from supporters asking to hold events,'' Curbelo said, referring to the timing of Martinez's announcement.
''People who for many years have not gotten involved all of a sudden are motivated and reaching out, wanting to set up events. From a strictly fundraising perspective, it's been good,'' he said.
Díaz-Balart has also opened a joint fundraising account, DB Victory 2008, with his brother and fellow congressman Mario Díaz-Balart.
