Gov. Rick Scott is already revving up his reelection campaign - despite the election being more than a year away.
According to new figures, the governor's political action committee raised more than $2.8 million in its second quarter. Scott has said he will run for reelection in 2014.
In 2010, Scott spent $75 million of his personal fortune to win the governor's race. However, Scott says he won't be opening his wallet for the 2013/2014 campaign. Scott's fundraising total stands at about $3.8 million with almost none of it spent yet.
Scott was criticized for his education policy, including a proposal that would allow parents to petition to have poor-performing public schools taken over by private charter school managers; his opposition to Obama's health care overhaul; and his support of new voting laws that Democrats say make it more difficult for some people to vote. He was portrayed as an enemy of the middle class.
"The last two years we have been dealing with really an extremist agenda in Tallahassee," said Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich, who is already running for the nomination to challenge Scott in 2014.
And while the focus is on November's election, Alex Sink, who narrowly lost to Scott in 2010 in an election where Republicans far outperformed Democrats, said she is thinking of running for governor again. Also, former governor Charlie Crist may be interested in running.
Political consultant Kevin Cate says Scott will need plenty of funds to compete.
"It's much easier for a rich guy with a lot of money to go on commercials when nobody knows who the heck he is," Cate said. "Now people have gotten a taste of Rick Scott...(and) doesn't seem like they like it, so he's going to need all that much more money to try to get out there and throw ads up."
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.