In the dimly lit, multicolored side room of Leonardo’s 706, City Commission candidate Ozzy Angulo prepared for his campaign’s kickoff.
A series of tables sat out, each with several chairs for supporters and constituents.
But few were filled.
Roughly a dozen people, including Angulo’s own recently assembled campaign team, came to support the City Commission hopeful in his first official fundraiser.
Despite the sparse numbers, Angulo remained optimistic and did not view the event as a setback.
“It’s not unexpected,” Angulo said. “Many of my supporters are working-class; working two jobs, going to class and working full-time. And I also have supporters who are very busy community leaders.”
He runs on a platform that includes more government transparency and introducing measures to aid small businesses.
Dave Schneider, a UF senator with the Progress Party, said he supports Angulo because of the candidate’s advocacy of justice for Kofi Adu-Brempong, the UF graduate student who was shot by UF police in March. Schneider also marched with Angulo against the Dove World Outreach Center’s “International Burn a Koran Day.”
“Far and away, he cares the most about progressive causes and social justice,” Schneider said.
The 30-year-old Angulo, a theater student at Santa Fe College, has run for public office in Gainesville once before, when he ran for mayor in 2010.
After finishing fifth, he decided to take another crack at it by running for the District 3 City Commission seat.
Despite the low attendance at the first fundraiser, Angulo said he’s not deterred and will continue to build his base of supporters.
“We are determined,” he said. “And we fully intend to be the hardest working campaign in this race.”
