Alex Sink raises $1.6 million for gubernatorial campaign in third quarter

Alex Sink is on track to be the Democrats' best-funded gubernatorial candidate in years, with the chief financial officer reporting Monday that she raised $1.6 million over the past three months.

"This overwhelming support from thousands of Floridians sends a clear message that it's time for a governor with a different kind of experience and a fresh approach," said Sink, a former banking executive who has about $3.6 million in her campaign account and has raised about four times as much money as the past three Democratic nominees for governor had raised at this point.

The main Republican candidate for governor, Attorney General Bill McCollum, has not reported his latest fundraising tally, and his campaign did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

Meanwhile, the Florida Democratic Party said it raised $2.5 million in the three months ending Sept. 30 — more than it had ever raised in the third quarter of a nonelection year. The state GOP has not released its latest fundraising totals.

"Fueled by the grass roots army we are building, the Florida Democratic Party's momentum to bring change to Florida keeps growing," said Party chair Karen Thurman, touting contributions from nearly 2,000 individuals.

State candidates have until Saturday to file fundraising reports, and federal candidates have until Oct. 15. Allies of former state House Speaker Marco Rubio, the underdog Republican trying to defeat Gov. Charlie Crist for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, are expecting Rubio to significantly improve on the $340,000 raised in his previous report, even if he's still way behind Crist.

One prominent new Rubio supporter? Karl Rove, President George W. Bush's top political adviser, who confirmed to NBC News that he contributed $1,000.

Adam C. Smith can be reached at asmith@sptimes.com.