Kelly Hayes
St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch will be raising funds next Thursday at Grand Hacienda restaurant as he prepares for the Nov. 2 General Election after a resounding first place finish in Tuesday’s Primary Election.
Political consultant Nick Janovsky is hosting the event, with co-host Julie Kessel of St. Pete Development Company. Kessel is the former longtime partner of City Council member Darden Rice, who finished third in the mayoral Primary and won’t be advancing to the General.
The hour-long fundraiser will start at 5 p.m.
The host committee also includes former Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, congressional candidate and state Rep. Ben Diamond and Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers. Three St. Pete City Council members, Lisa Wheeler-Bowman, Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Amy Foster, are also on the event’s host committee.
The fundraiser comes as the former Pinellas County Commissioner kicks off his General Election campaign, where he is facing City Council member Robert Blackmon. Fundraising will be vital in the high-stakes race.
The two ousted six other candidates in Tuesday’s Primary Election, including Rice.
While Blackmon had a late start in the Primary, entering in late-May, he’ll have a fresh start against Welch. The two are starting the General Election race on an almost even playing field.
Welch, who launched his campaign in mid-January, will enter the run-off with about $85,926 cash on hand between his campaign and political committee, while Blackmon will start with $80,138 in available spending money between his funding sources.
Despite Blackmon’s efficient use of campaign funds in the Primary, the Republican candidate may still face an uphill battle in a municipality that has a Democratic edge. And, though the race is nonpartisan it has — much like four years ago — taken on a partisan tone.
The city comprises 88,279 Democrats, 49,544 Republicans and about 51,536 third party or non-affiliated voters, according to the most recent book closing report from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections.
The most recent survey from St. Pete Polls showed Welch not only in the top spot in the Primary but leading Blackmon in a then-hypothetical General Election matchup. There, he leads Blackmon with 53% support to 29%.
