Janelle Irwin Taylor
New Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector hasn’t officially endorsed Chris Scherer for Pinellas County Commission, but it’s clear he’s a supporter.
Rector is hosting a fundraiser supporting Scherer’s campaign for District 1, and an affiliated political committee backing his campaign.
The fundraiser will be held Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Oak Street Exchange, 10787 Oak St. NE in St. Petersburg.
Other notable hosts for the fundraiser include Pinellas GOP Chair and Pinellas County Tax Collector candidate Adam Ross; Commissioner Brian Scott; Pinellas/Pasco Public Defender Sara Mollo; St. Pete City Council member Ed Montanari; former St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker; former state Sen. Jeff Brandes; former Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats; and former St. Pete City Council member Robert Blackmon.
The host committee also includes a couple dozen community supporters.
The fundraiser will include wine and charcuterie, according to a campaign flyer.
Attendees are encouraged to donate to Scherer’s campaign, with a maximum contribution of $1,000 (including any contributions that have already been made), or to his committee, Friends of Chris Scherer. The committee does not have a donation limit.
Scherer, a Republican, is running for the District 1 seat currently held by Democrat Janet Long, who is not seeking re-election. He faces Democratic challenger Cookie Kennedy, the current Mayor of Indian Rocks Beach.
Scherer has so far more than doubled Kennedy’s fundraising, with more than $200,000 raised between his two funding sources. Kennedy has raised just over $95,000 for her bid.
Republicans recently flipped the political makeup of the Pinellas County Commission in the 2022 Midterms and are looking to grow that advantage with a Scherer victory this year.
They’re also eyeing Charlie Justice’s seat, with a bid by Republican Vincent Nowicki to unseat the longtime Democratic Commissioner.
