Charlie Justice to soak in the sun and donations at St. Pete Beach fundraiser

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice will host a fundraising reception next week to build on his already dominate fundraising activity.

Justice is hosting a sunset reception February 19 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Alden Suites Cabana Bar located at 5900 Gulf Blvd. in St. Pete Beach.

Justice faces one opponent in the Democratic primary, Christian Lanier. One Republican is running, Steven Homol.

Neither opponent has posted any fundraising numbers. Lanier entered the race Jan. 31 and won’t file his first campaign finance reports with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office until next month.

Homol entered the race in early January, but didn’t raise any funds that month.

Justice, meanwhile, has already banked more than $15,000 for his reelection bid. He launched his campaign in October putting in nearly $9,000 that month.

Voters first elected Justice to the District 3 countywide seat in 2012. He earned reelection in 2016, beating Republican Mike Mikurak with 52% of the vote.

“I am incredibly proud of the partnerships we’ve built and the successes we’ve achieved in Pinellas County. We’ve rejected the partisan extremism that permeates our federal politics in order to get things done here at home. By building lasting relationships, we have seen Pinellas thrive with community improvements from Tarpon Springs to Tierra Verde,” Justice said ahead of his late-October launch.

Justice serves on boards for the Tampa Bay Estuary Policy group, Health and Human Services Leadership, Pinellas County Historic Preservation, Pinellas County Youth Advisory Committee, the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas and the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority.

Justice formerly served in Florida Senate District 16 from 2006 until 2010. During that time, he served as the Senate Minority Leader Pro-Tempore and chaired the Pinellas County Legislative Delegation.

Justice also served in Florida House District 53 from 2000 until 2006. Before his public service, Justice worked for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg as assistant director for leadership programming.