The fight for revenue intensifies in the primary contest between Jenniffer Gonzalez and Pedro Pierluisi

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After the resident commissioner in Washington, Jennifer Gonzalezreported early this Tuesday that during the last quarter – July to September – it raised $875,346 for its primarist campaignhis opponent, the governor Pedro Pierluisipointed out that, in the same period, he earned about $675,000, which he will report this week to the Office of the Electoral Comptroller (OCE).

Gonzalez issued a press release, in which he gave an account of his new precautions for the race for the candidacy for governor of the New Progressive Party (PNP), which reported to the Federal Election Commission (FEC, in English). The document has 405 pages.

“The campaign is achieving and exceeding established collection goals. In this way, we will be able to bring Jenniffer’s message of change of vision to the people so that public issues are addressed with the urgency that our people demand.”expressed in written statements the lawyer Oriol Campostreasurer of the commissioner’s campaign.

He added that the collection figure is the largest that Gonzalez has raised in a quarter for any of the political positions to which he has aspired. In August, the commissioner held a political event to celebrate her birthday, which left her $852,446 in collections. The following month, on September 27, she announced – in a television message – that she will seek to be the candidate for the PNP governorship in 2024, thus challenging Pierluisi, who wants to retain his position.

The $875,346 that Gonzalez obtained from July to September is divided into $852,446 from individual donations, $6,000 from political action committees (PACs) and $16,900 from transfers from other organized committees, which were four donations from the Hispanic Leardership Trust. The PACs that donated to the official were Guidewell Mutual, King & Spalding Nonpartisan Committee for Good Government and Republic Governance Group/Tuesday Group PAC.

Less available on account

Although Gonzalez registered an income and expenditure committee in September with the OCE – which revealed his intention to go after the governorship – he also maintains a committee with the FEC. The commissioner had to comply with her report to the FEC on October 15 and she is supposed to do the same with the OCE this coming Friday, October 20.

The report before the FEC records expenses of $288,518.47. Although it is the report with the highest amount of income, the amount that Gonzalez left in his account decreased. For the quarter from April to June, the commissioner had $490,553.94 in cash. The figure was modified on October 15, according to FEC data.

Prior to the amendment, Gonzalez indicated that, as of June 30, he had $518,373.94 in his account. After the presentation of the last report (July to September), the amount available fell to $327,381.47.

In compliance with federal and state rules and regulations, Gonzalez’s team transferred $750,000 from his committee at the FEC to the OCE. The amount came from the $875,346 that the commissioner collected from July to September. Campos anticipated that, “soon,” new transfers will be made.

“Jenniffer is extremely grateful for the strong support she continues to receive from the town. This quarter was an extremely positive one for his campaign, in which a busy birthday event was held. We invite all the people to join this effort for change and enter our page, www.jenniffer.comwhere they can join the $51 for Puerto Rico campaign or contribute the amount they wish,” said the lawyer.

The governor responds

For the governor, the important thing – he said –, beyond the collections, is how much money is available to campaign.

“What you have to look at is the amount of funds deposited, because that is what is available. When you look at the amount of funds deposited in the accounts, you are going to see a big difference. The advantage that my committee has is enormous. It is extraordinary”Pierluisi commented, in an aside with the press, at the conclusion of a press conference on improvements to several highways.

When asked for his reaction on the amount of money that Gonzalez has raised from July to September, the president highlighted that, in August, the commissioner held a fundraising event on the occasion of her birthday, which generated additional income.

“We already have about $3.3 million in the account at the end of September. That goes at the pace I want it to go. This is planned, so we are very satisfied,” she added.

He assured that, as part of the primary contest – which will be held on June 2, 2024 –, he will not spare any expenses..

“We will continue to raise and use all the resources we have available to prevail in the primary and then, then, we will raise whatever is necessary for the general election,” he said.

The person in charge of raising money for Pierluisi’s campaign is his brother-in-law, Andres Guillemard. As of June 30, the governor had $2,934,646.06 in his committee account, according to the OCE.