The political committee backing Charlie Crist poured about $286,000 into the St. Petersburg mayoral race in a single week because the marketing campaign enters its remaining stretch.
The committee, St. Pete Shines, raised $61,000 and spent $286,000 from July 4 by way of July 10. Its largest expenditure was a $220,000 cost to Waterfront Methods for media manufacturing, adopted by $30,000 to Dynamic Media Methods for tv consulting.
The spending blitz got here after St. Pete Shines reported roughly $1.18 million accessible on the finish of the earlier reporting interval. Accounting for its newest fundraising and spending, the committee seems to retain round $950,000.
St. Pete Shines’ newest cash got here from six contributors. Floridians for a Higher Florida gave $25,000, Tampa actual property agency Companions Asset Administration contributed $15,000 and Levin Papantonio Rafferty CFO Andrew Kent gave $10,000. Tampa homebuilder Area Houses added $9,000, whereas former McGraw-Hill Training Government Chair Ronald Schlosser and SERHANT Director of Luxurious Gross sales Nick Janovsky every contributed $1,000.
The candidate account report, which covers June 27 by way of July 10, additionally exhibits Crist increasing his marketing campaign’s sources. Crist raised practically $11,000 and spent simply over $1,500 in the course of the two-week interval. His marketing campaign has now raised $90,000 and spent $33,000 general.
His newest report included eight $1,000 contributions, together with donations from Ballad Well being Chair and CEO Alan Levine, Shumaker Advisors Government Vice President Alan Suskey, Concord Companions conflict-resolution guide and mediator Will Burrington, Wilson Media Founder and President Paul Wilson, HW Properties President Scott Wagman, Tampa homebuilder Area Houses, former Ford International Applied sciences CEO William Coughlin, and Alison Hunt.
Crist’s marketing campaign account additionally holds practically $57,000, leaving his general operation with roughly $1 million accessible forward of the Aug. 18 Main.
In the meantime, Mayor Ken Welch’s political committee can also be placing cash to work — although on a smaller scale.
St. Petersburg Progress raised $15,000 and spent slightly below $65,000 in the course of the newest reporting interval. The committee made simply two expenditures: over $57,000 to Counterpoint Messaging and simply over $7,500 to MDW Communications. Its sole contribution was $15,000 from Tampa Bay Lightning proprietor Jeff Vinik.
The committee has raised practically $342,000 in financial contributions and spent practically $205,000 general, leaving slightly below $137,000 accessible. Welch’s marketing campaign account holds nearly $27,000, giving his general re-election operation practically $164,000.
Welch raised practically $8,000 and spent practically $7,000 from June 27 by way of July 10 by way of his marketing campaign account. His marketing campaign has raised practically $75,000 and spent $48,000 general.
Welch obtained six $1,000 contributions, together with donations from Sky City developer Altis Cardinal Skytown, Longwood insurance coverage brokerage Burr Insurance coverage Consultants, industrial building firm Landry/French, emergency-services supplier Paramedics Logistics Working Firm, retired Florida Progress President and CEO Jack Critchfield, and Johnson Pope shareholder Ryan Griffin.
Total, Crist holds roughly $1 million throughout his marketing campaign and political committee, greater than six instances Welch’s roughly $164,000.
Past Crist and Welch, the remainder of the sphere is working on a a lot smaller monetary scale. Former St. Petersburg Hearth Chief Jim Large stays the best-funded of the remaining candidates, with roughly $96,000 accessible between his marketing campaign and A Better Burg.
Giant raised $1,600 and spent practically $11,000 from June 27 by way of July 10. His marketing campaign has raised greater than $92,000 and spent practically $40,000 general, leaving about $53,000 accessible readily available. A Higher Burg holds one other roughly $43,000, bringing Giant’s mixed accessible funds to about $96,000.
St. Petersburg Metropolis Council Member Brandi Gabbard holds over $16,000 between her marketing campaign and Forward Together PC. Her candidate account raised slightly below $1,500 and spent about $8,500 in the course of the newest interval, whereas the committee raised $2,500 and reported no spending. Mixed, Gabbard’s operation has raised about $57,000 and spent roughly $41,000 general.
Group advocate Maria Scruggs raised $50 and spent about $250 in the course of the newest interval. Her marketing campaign has raised simply over $20,000 and spent greater than $19,000 general.
Former Shore Acres Neighborhood Affiliation President Kevin Batdorf reported no contributions or expenditures in the course of the newest interval. His marketing campaign has raised slightly below $4,300 and reported about the identical in expenditures general.
The Main is Aug. 18. If no candidate receives greater than 50% of the vote, the highest two candidates will advance to a Nov. 3 runoff.
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Ed. observe: Michelle Todd Schorsch is the Chair of St. Pete Shines, a political committee backing Crist for St. Petersburg Mayor. Todd Schorsch is married to Peter Schorsch, the writer of Florida Politics.
