From Staff Reports
In Summary:
Christine Moore raised $16,350 in the latest reporting period, compared with Nick Nesta’s $3,765, widening the overall fundraising gap. Her support comes largely from business and professional donors, while Nesta’s campaign is fueled primarily by individual contributors. Despite the disparity, Nesta previously defeated both Moore and incumbent Mayor Bryan Nelson in the general election, demonstrating that fundraising has not dictated the outcome of the race.
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With just days remaining before the April 14 mayoral runoff, the latest campaign finance reports show a familiar dynamic in the race between Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore and Apopka City Commissioner Nick Nesta: a significant fundraising advantage for Moore, and a candidate in Nesta who has already shown he can win without one.
According to the most recent filings covering March 14 through March 27, Moore reported $16,350 in new contributions, compared to $3,765 raised by Nesta during the same period. But if those numbers look decisive on paper, the results of the March 10 general election tell a more complicated story.
Despite being significantly outspent and outraised, Nesta finished first in the three-way race, defeating both Moore and incumbent Mayor Bryan Nelson to advance to the runoff. The outcome underscored a key reality of the race: fundraising has not necessarily translated into votes.
The latest reports also highlight a difference in the coalitions backing each campaign.
Moore’s fundraising reflects a broad network of business and professional donors, including individuals in the real estate, development, and consulting sectors, as well as corporate contributions. Her report spans dozens of entries across multiple industries, pointing to strong institutional and business support.
Nesta’s fundraising, by contrast, continues to be driven largely by individual donors—many of them local residents—with a smaller overall donor pool and limited business-affiliated giving.
The gap extends to spending. Moore reported $8,788.06 in expenditures during the latest period, compared to $1,133.67 for Nesta.
Overall, Moore has now raised $111,086 in total contributions and spent $82,692.32, according to her filing. Nesta has raised $19,591 and spent $13,972.58.
Those totals represent a substantial financial advantage for Moore heading into the final stretch of the runoff, particularly in traditional campaign activities such as advertising and voter outreach.
Still, the general election results complicate any straightforward reading of those numbers.
Nesta’s first-place finish demonstrated that voter support can outpace financial backing—raising the possibility that grassroots momentum, or voter sentiment, may play a larger role than fundraising totals alone in this election.
With early voting already underway, the final days of the runoff will test whether Moore’s financial advantage can translate into votes—or whether Nesta can once again overcome the gap and convert support into a second victory.
Runoff Notes:
Voter turnout in this runoff election continues to mirror the March 10 general election figures, if not a slight increase. The Orange County Supervisor of Elections Office received 378 mail-in ballots on Monday, increasing its total to 1,655.
That, coupled with 605 ballots cast on the first day of early voting, puts the figure at 2,260 with six days remaining for early voting, and election day on April 14. In the general election, 8,109 voters participated in the mayoral election, with Nesta receiving 3,365 (41.6%), Moore receiving 2,576 (31.85%), and Mayor Bryan Nelson receiving 2,148 (26.55%).
Key Points:
- Moore raised $16,350 in the latest period, compared to Nesta’s $3,765
- Total fundraising stands at $111,086 for Moore and $19,591 for Nesta
- Moore’s donor base includes businesses and professionals; Nesta’s is largely individual donors
- Moore has significantly outspent Nesta throughout the race
- Nesta finished first in the general election despite the fundraising gap, defeating both Moore and incumbent Bryan Nelson
