A first-time candidate for Congress raised over half a million dollars just two weeks after launching his campaign to succeed Rep. Neal Dunn (R., Fla.), the Washington Reporter can exclusively confirm. 

Austin Rogers, the former general counsel for Sen. Rick Scott (R., Fla.), raised $550,000 in the weeks since launching his campaign — and with rumors circulating that Dunn may retire before his term is up, that money would be critically useful to Rogers in a potential special election.

Rogers’s fundraising haul consists of $300,000 of self-funding, as well as $250,000 from donors. “We’ve heard the rumors about a potential special election, and if that’s the path forward, we’re ready to move full steam ahead,” a Florida politics veteran told the Reporter. “Austin is the man for the job and we’re confident we have the message and the momentum to win.”

“From Bay County to Lafayette County, this campaign is about standing up for the real Florida — for our faith, our freedom, and our conservative values,” Rogers said. “In just two weeks, we’ve seen incredible support and momentum from hardworking folks across the district. Floridians want a true conservative who is ready to deliver on Trump’s America First agenda on day one. I’m grateful for the strong support from our district, and I look forward to keeping this momentum heading into this election.”

During his work with Scott, Rogers focused on tackling government waste, fraud, and abuse; he helped spearhead Scott’s investigative work into Gov. Gavin Newsom (D., Calif.) and Mayor Karen Bass following the devastating fires in the Palisades.