Peter Schorsch
After just three weeks on the campaign trail, former Mayor Rick Baker‘s campaign is reporting that it raised an eye-opening $553,174 in contributions to his campaign and Seamless Florida, an affiliated political committee.
Baker is challenging incumbent Rick Kriseman, who is seeking a second term as the Sunshine City’s mayor.
Baker’s haul is a record-breaking amount for any campaign during the six elections the city of St. Petersburg has conducted under its current strong-mayor form of government.
Baker’s campaign says it received money from 651 contributors, of which nearly half gave $25 dollars of less.
“Whether it’s five dollars or five hundred dollars, I’m honored to have the support of so many of my neighbors,” said Baker. “The overwhelming support from contributors is an endorsement of our vision for a seamless city and our laser-like focus on fixing things right here in St. Petersburg.”
Kriseman’s camp had yet to report its fundraising efforts for May, but last month the campaign and an associated Committee combined to raise over $100,000 in April, bringing the total Kriseman for Mayor has raised to nearly $400,000.
Kriseman’s camp reported Thursday that it and an associated committee raised over $110,000 fin May, bringing the total Kriseman for Mayor has raised to over $500,000.
“We’ve raised money at a comparative level,” said Kriseman campaign manager Jacob Smith. “St. Pete deserves better than Rick Baker being silent on climate change while spending so much time raising money. But his silence on climate change is fine with his extremely partisan, right-wing donors.”
According to a release from Baker’s campaign, roughly half of all individual contributors to Baker’s campaign, who are registered Florida voters, were registered Democrats and independents.
