Smith continues to outpace Sargent in contributions
As a result of the filings of their campaign finance reports for the first quarter of this year, The Sarasota News Leader has learned that incumbent Sarasota County Commissioner Joe Neunder has taken over the fundraising lead from his incumbent colleague, Commissioner Mark Smith.
Neunder is seeking to retain the District 4 seat, while Smith hopes to serve a second term as the District 2 representative. Both are set to face primary challengers in August, with one Democrat in each race thus far, as well.
The latest documents submitted to the Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Office show Neunder’s total contributions added up to $81,020 through March, while Smith’s totaled $67,395. Smith held the lead through the end of 2025…