PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — While there are half-a-dozen people competing in Florida’s 13th Congressional District to challenge Democrat Charlie Crist this fall, there is one who is clearly the favorite among Washington Republicans — Amanda Makki.

  • Makki has raised the most campaign funds of the Republicans in the race
  • Charlie Crist is considered the favorite in the congressional seat
  • Crist defeated George Buck, Jr. for the seat in 2018
  • Buck is also running in the Republican Primary

Makki was named this week as a “Young Gun Contender” by the National Republican Campaign Committee and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.  It adds to the growing list of Washington-based Republicans who support her candidacy in the August 18 GOP primary in Pinellas County.

“These hardworking candidates have proven their ability to run strong, competitive campaign operations,” said McCarthy in a press release issued out by the Makki campaign. “We’re going to ensure these contenders are victorious in November by forcing their Democratic opponents to own their party’s radical socialist agenda.”

Makki is a first-time political candidate, but she has extensive experience in D.C., having served for seven years as a health adviser to Alaska Republican U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski. 

Pinellas County Republicans would love to oust Crist, a former Republican turned independent turned Democrat — but the odds are formidable.

Although the respected Cook Political Report lists the district as only a “plus two” Democratic in terms of party registration, it also lists the seat as “solid Democratic,” meaning it would be considered a major upset for any of the Republicans to defeat Crist.

“We have someone in office is only about himself, and not about serving the constituents of our community, and that’s why I’m running,“ Makki told a group of Republicans in December.

Crist's victory over David Jolly in 2016 marked the first time in a generation that a Democrat has held the Pinellas County-based seat. It happened after the GOP-leaning seat became more Democratic-friendly following a court imposed redistricting effort in 2015.

Crist easily won relection last year against George Buck, Jr., who is one of the five Republicans competing for the nomination.

Makki has raised the most money of any Republican in the race, having taken in $538,142 at the end of December, the last reporting period.  Buck Jr. is next with just under $400,000 raised.

Those numbers pale in comparison to Crist, always a robust fundraiser who had collected nearly $1.6 million as of December.