Free Republic

MIAMI -- U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch has topped the $4 million mark in his campaign for Florida's open U.S. Senate seat, extending his fund-raising lead heading into the election year. Deutsch, a Fort Lauderdale-area Democrat, raised about $800,000 during the year's final fund-raising quarter that ended Dec. 31, spokesman Ryan Hampton said Friday. Democrat Alex Penelas, the mayor of Miami-Dade County, raised nearly $400,000 during the quarter, increasing his war chest to about $2 million. Former Education Commissioner Betty Castor, meanwhile, did not disclose preliminary numbers but campaign officials said they expected to show increases from previous quarters. The three...