Scott outraises Crist nearly 3 to 1 for the quarter, but slows down in March

The first quarter fundraising number are out and, judging by the announcements from the leading governor's candidates, everyone is thrilled.

"We have raised more money than any other Democratic candidate for governor at this point in the campaign,'' said Charlie Crist on Thursday, after meeting with House Democratic caucus and union members.

"Find someone to high-five,'' read an announcment from the Crist campaign as it announced $1.5 million raised in March by both his "Charlie Crist for Florida" political committee and his campaign. The campaign launched in November and it was a record month.

What they didn't say: they raised $6.1 million for the quarter, nearly a third less than Scott.

Gov. Rick Scott's campaign is happy too. 

"The first quarter and the numbers speak for themselves,'' said Matt Moon, campaign spokesman as he announced the campaign's quarterly totals of $17.1 million.  "We out-raised Charlie Crist’s operation by $11 million."

What Moon didn't say: Crist edged Scott in the month of March as Scott raised $1,196,571 for his campaign and $361,910 for “Let’s Get To Work.” 

Of course, Crist's operation notes that the Scott campaign also spent about $4 million in campaign ads during the quarter as well. 

The largest checks to Scott's political committee in the last month came from:

• U.S. Sugar ($100,000)
• Bayfront Development, a subsidiary of Genting ($50,000)

• Frayda Lindemann, a Palm Beach retiree and wife of billionaire George Lindemann, who retired from Southern Union, a pipeline company ($50,000)
• Ron Book, lobbyist ($20,000)

Crist’s largest checks in the last month came from mostly lawyers:

• Moystyn law firm. Steve Moystyn, a Texas trial lawyer, who has also lent his private plane for the governor to use for campaign travel. ($200,000)
• The Yerrid law firm. Steve Yerrid is a Tampa lawyer. ($100,000)
• $50,000 each from the law Miami law firms of Ferraro, Bruce Berkowitz.
• William P. Corry law firm of Pennsylvania. ($50,000)
• Barbara Stiefel, a retiree from Coral Gables ($50,000) who, next to Crist boss John Morgan, was the second largest donor to the medical marijuana petition effort.
• Floridians for Fairness, the political committee that gives exclusively to Crist, run by his friend Jay Burmer. ($50,000) 

Of course, Crist's operation notes that the Scott campaign also spent about $4 million in campaign ads during the quarter as well. 

The largest checks to Scott's political committee in the last month came from:

• U.S. Sugar ($100,000)
• Bayfront Development, a subsidiary of Genting ($50,000)

• Frayda Lindemann, a Palm Beach retiree and wife of billionaire George Lindemann, who retired from Southern Union, a pipeline company ($50,000)
• Ron Book, lobbyist ($20,000)

Crist’s largest checks in the last month came from mostly lawyers:

• Moystyn law firm. Steve Moystyn, a Texas trial lawyer, who has also lent his private plane for the governor to use for campaign travel. ($200,000)
• The Yerrid law firm. Steve Yerrid is a Tampa lawyer. ($100,000)
• $50,000 each from the law Miami law firms of Ferraro, Bruce Berkowitz.
• William P. Corry law firm of Pennsylvania. ($50,000)
• Barbara Stiefel, a retiree from Coral Gables ($50,000) who, next to Crist boss John Morgan, was the second largest donor to the medical marijuana petition effort.
• Floridians for Fairness, the political committee that gives exclusively to Crist, run by his friend Jay Burmer. ($50,000)