Kelly HayesIncumbent Pinellas County Commissioner Pat Gerard raised $19,470 in February for her re-election campaign, keeping her on top in fundraising against challenger Brian Scott.
Scott previously surpassed Gerard in December. But Gerard has now amassed $132,300 since launching her re-election campaign. After collecting $9,695 in February, Scott’s total comes to $118,615 between his campaign and affiliated political committee, Friends of Brian Scott.
The two have been neck-and-neck since each entered the race, with Scott taking the lead in December only to be surpassed by Gerard in January.
As far as donors, Gerard’s campaign saw 70 contributors in February, including six $1,000 drops from companies like Risser Oil Co., Porter Development LLC President Les Porter, Wekiva Engineering and Base Camp Key LLC.
Gerard’s campaign spent $6,105 last month, with about $5,500 going to campaign consulting services and the remainder directed toward processing fees.
Scott’s campaign raised $8,605 in February from 17 donors, including eight $1,000 donations from organizations like Danste Hospitality Group, Enwright Rimes Consulting and A&R Consulting. Scott also received $1,000 donations from individuals including former St. Petersburg City Council member Robert Blackmon — who left the Council to run for Mayor last year — as well as political consultants Byron Enwright and Jim Rimes.
Scott’s affiliated political committee, which raised $1,000 last month, reported one individual donor.
His campaign dished out $3,995, scattered among advertising, finance consulting and processing fees. His political committee spent $1,344 on political consulting.
Gerard will go into the next finance period with $103,742 cash on hand, while Scott holds $89,063.
The race also includes Republican Debbie Buschman, the Lunch Pal coordinator for Pinellas County Schools.
Buschman raised $1,306 in February from 14 individual contributors. She spent $952 on printing and marketing supplies.
District 2 is an at-large seat covering northwest Pinellas County, but it is voted on countywide.
For years, the GOP has been looking to retake the district after Gerard flipped the seat blue in 2014, replacing former Commissioner Norm Roche. Roche lost the Republican Primary that year to now-Sen. Ed Hooper, who lost to Gerard in the General Election.
The race will appear on the 2022 ballot. If no Democrat files to challenge Gerard, she will face the winner of the GOP Primary in November.
