Gulfport City Council hopeful April Thanos is threatening incumbent Dan Liedtke by outraising him more than three to one. Thanos raised a total of just over $6,000 so far in the race; Liedtke has brought in just $1,877.
Both posted January fundraising totals this week. Thanos brought in more than half her total haul during that month, raising more than $3,000. Liedtke raised $975.97 with a $275 loan from himself.
While Thanos grows a substantial fundraising gap, she continues to lack substantive contributions from within the community. Out of 44 total contributions, only six came from residents or businesses in Gulfport. Though one from Gulfport restaurant owner Jo Hastings, accounted for nearly a third of Thanos’ January cash. Hastings contributed the maximum allowable, $1,000.
And though it’s from outside Gulfport, Thanos also seems to attract high-profile Democratic support. St. Pete City Council member Karl Nurse kicked in $100; Pinellas County Democratic Secretary Mary Lou Ambrose donated $25.
Some activists, including Lucinda Johnson and Bill Bucolo, also contributed.
Liedtke, meanwhile, attracted nearly all of his donors from Gulfport. Of his total January contributions, $625 came from Gulfport residents with another $275 coming from himself. Only two contributions came from outside the city.
Gulfport donors include Emmett Walsh with a $200 contributions, George Munson and Doug Hudson with $150 and $100 checks respectively.
As for expenditures, Liedtke funded a series of mailers in January. He spent $275 on printed material from Vista Print and another $170 on postage. Liedtke also paid $326 for ads in the Gulfport Gabber.
Thanos’ spending indicates a possible mailer to come, with $550 spent on photography. Her campaign also purchased signs for $570. The bulk of Thanos’ spending went to consulting fees with Blue Ticket Consulting.
Thanos and Liedtke face off in the Gulfport Municipal Election March 15, a down-ballot of the Presidential Preference Primary race. While only Republicans and Democrats can vote in the presidential primary, for municipal races, any voter can cast a ballot.
