The race for Nancy Argenziano's state Senate seat is revving up even before she officially quits the job for the Public Service Commission.
Republican Richard Corcoran, the former chief of staff to House Speaker Marco Rubio who quit last month to seek the seat, reported Friday raising $185,000 in 17 days before the end of the fundraising quarter last week.
"I received over 250 contributions from within the district. They come from a broad base of supporters, including small business owners, doctors, lawyers, teachers, builders, and retirees," he said in a statement.
The District 3 Senate seat reaches from Crystal River up to Leon County.
If Argenziano does step aside, Corcoran will face at least two other Republicans he knows well – current House Speaker Pro Tem Dennis Baxley of Ocala and state Rep. Charles Dean of Inverness.
Both lawmakers are currently banned from raising money during the session, but Baxley claimed to be in "full campaign mode" this week.
Meanwhile, Baxley's son, Damon, was in Tallahassee this week to meet with future House speakers Ray Sansom, Dean Cannon and Will Weatherford to seek their blessing as he readies to run for his dad's House seat.
He said the meetings went well.
"My primary goal was to meet with them and talk to them about what we've been praying about for the last little while," he said. "I'm going to throw my hat in the ring."