Former state Rep. Dennis Ross (R), who is hoping to replace retiring Rep. Adam Putnam (R) in Florida’s 12th district, will report that he raised about $80,000 during the fourth quarter of 2009 bringing his cash on hand total to about $300,000, according to campaign spokesman Fred Piccolo.

That three month fundraising total is down from the $144,000 haul Ross turned in during the third quarter, but it’s likely Ross will still be comfortably ahead of his top Democratic opponent Polk County Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards (D), in the money chase. Edwards reported a little over $75,000 in cash on hand at the end of September and has earned criticism for her lackluster fundraising despite help from the national party and being endorsed by the conservative Blue Dog Coalition in mid-July.

Edwards campaign, which held a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. in early December featuring a pair of Florida Democratic Members, did not have 4th quarter fundraising figures available on Thursday.

Meanwhile Ross is getting an early boost when it comes to fundraising in the first quarter of the election year. Piccolo said that House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is scheduled to host a fundraising event for Ross in Winter Haven, Fla., on Monday.