In Orlando’s District 5, four candidates rake in substantial campaign cash

Four candidates have substantial war chests in the first two weeks of fundraising in Orlando’s District 5 special election.

Community activist Lawanna Gelzer reported $21,000 in the bank, powered by a $20,000 loan she wrote to her campaign.  Nonprofit executive Shan Rose has $15,840 – with about $6,000 of that through in-kind contributions. Miss America winner Ericka Dunlap brought in $10,740, including a $2,100 personal loan, while former State Rep. Travaris McCurdy raised $10,500.

Those four have opened up a substantial gap on the other three candidates in the crowded field, who essentially raised only about enough to pay the filing fee to enter the contest, according to campaign finance reports filed to the city Friday and posted publicly Monday.

Tiakeysha Ellison self-funded the $2,100 in her account, Miles Mulrain raised $1,725, including an $830 loan, and Cameron Hope loaned his campaign $1,650.

The reports offer the first glimpse at the state of play in the rushed but seemingly competitive campaign to be interim District 5 city commissioner. The seat representing downtown and west Orlando opened up earlier this month when incumbent Regina Hill was suspended following her indictment for elder abuse.

Election Day is May 21. If no candidate receives 50% plus 1 vote, a runoff between the two candidates with the most votes is June 18.

The candidates appear to have taken varying strategies to build up their funds in the fast-developing race.

Using her loan, Gelzer, a long-time community activist, has spent $11,738, the most of any candidate so far.

McCurdy, who recently was endorsed by the union representing the city’s firefighters, has spent $7,668. In his fundraising efforts, he’s brought in checks from a mix of locals as well as $4,350 from The Southern Group and lobbyists associated with that firm.

Rose, a former city employee who is the executive director of Eatonville’s Community Redevelopment Agency, has spent $3,624 so far, and said her relationships among residents and businesses in the district are paying dividends.

“I bring real-life solutions to problems or issues people are having,” she said.

Rose also has won the endorsement of Laborers’ International Union of North America, which represents blue-collar employees of the city.

Dunlap, who reported the most total contributors with 54, has spent $1,775 so far, with the vast majority of that covering the $1,526 filing fee.

She said she’s focused on small-dollar donations in hopes of securing enough votes in what is likely to be a low-turnout election.

“I’m committed to this community,” she said. “At the end of the day, I stand by that District 5 needs healing.”

rygillespie@orlandosentinel.com