When it comes to fundraising, Ken Peluso is the leader of the nine-person pack running for the three open seats on the Pinellas School Board.
Peluso, who is running for re-election to the District 4 single-member seat, has raised a total of $20,180. Of that, $3,650 was raised last month. Most of that — $3,000 — was from a loan he made to himself.
His opponent in the race, Eileen Long, is trailing with a total of $4,996. 80. The bulk of that — $3,150 — was raised in June. And, like Peluso, she loaned herself $3,000.
Here’s the breakdown in the other school races:
District 1 At-Large
First-time candidate Matt Stewart leads in fundraising with a total of $15,630. He raised $3,280 in June. He could widen that lead. Stewart has a reception planned for 6 p.m. July 13 at Wine at the Docks of Tarpon Springs, 828 Dodecanese Blvd.
Bill Dudley isn’t far behind. Dudley, a former St. Petersburg City Council member, has raised $13,970 total. He raised about half of that — $6,920 — in June.
Joanne Lentino raised $2,470 last month for a total of $10,200. Lentino has a meet and greet scheduled for 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. July 17 at 253 Sunlit Cove Drive NE in St. Petersburg.
The other candidate in the race, Robert J. Beal, who qualified at the last minute, loaned himself $1,700 to get in the contest. He spent most of it, $1,688.88, on the qualifying fee.
District 5 Single Member
Longtime School Board incumbent Carol Cook holds a slight fundraising lead over political newcomer Eliseo Santana.
Cook raised $925 in June, bringing her fundraising total to $9,955. Santana brought in $2,255 last month, bringing his fundraising total to $8,924.
Mike Petruccelli, the third candidate in the race, isn’t far behind. He brought in $2,450 in June, all but $50 of if in a loan to himself. That brought his total to $7,825.
Pinellas School Board races are nonpartisan. Holders of single-member districts are elected by the voters who live in that region. The at-large seat is voted on countywide. The election is Aug. 30.
