Kelly Hayes
St. Petersburg City Council member Brandi Gabbard raised $8,957 in the opening month of her reelection campaign for her District 2 seat.
Gabbard filed to run at the start of March and had about two dozen donors to her campaign this period, mostly individuals.
Donors to Gabbard’s campaign feature several City Council colleagues, including Ed Montanari, who donated $1,000; Lisa Wheeler-Bowman gave $25; and Gina Driscoll’s associated political committee, Friends of Gina Driscoll, which contributed $100.
The incumbent also received funding from Rep. Ben Diamond, who gave $500, and real estate mogul Robert Glaser, who gave $1,000.
Gabbard spent only $263 her first month on credit card processing fees and email campaigns.
Gabbard, a Democrat, is so far unopposed.
She was first elected to the City Council in 2017. Democrats currently have a 6-2 majority on the dais, with the only Republicans serving being Montanari and Robert Blackmon.
Gabbard previously endorsed Montanari in his 2019 election, and she often winds up on the same side of issues, typically on issues of property rights. She recently offered dissent for a local historic designation measure for the Driftwood Neighborhood in Old Southeast. Gabbard is a Realtor by trade.
Gabbard has worked for Smith and Associates Real Estate for 14 years, and she was named Pinellas County Realtor of the Year in 2015. She moved to St. Pete in 2003 from Indiana.
The district covers parts of northeast St. Pete.
