If the 2016 election goes anything like the last two, then the nearly $7,000 Ken Burke has raised for his re-election campaign will do just fine.
Burke, a 55-year-old Republican from Seminole, has served as Pinellas’ clerk of court since 2004, and ran unopposed in both 2008 and 2012.
As of now, no one’s filed to run against him in 2016 either.
Despite his present situation, and his past election history, Burke still doesn’t seem to be planning for a third straight go-round without competition.
Since filing his re-election paperwork with the supervisor of elections in early August, Burke has brought in four $1,000 donations — the maximum dollar amount allowable — and loaned himself over $2,700; loans given to a candidate by candidates themselves have no monetary cap.
Interestingly enough, none of the $1,000 contributions came from any business or person residing in Pinellas County. Two came from Miami, having been given by law firm S.N. Holtzman LLC, and Robert M. Levy, of Robert M. Levy & Assoc. The other two came from St. Augustine lawyer John Burnette, and the Texas-based law firm Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Samp.
Most of Burke’s expenditures — over $650 — have gone toward things like stationery, envelopes, office supplies and stamps. Though he did spend $60 in August on his Kiwanis Club of Seminole membership dues, and another $60 in September on membership dues with the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club — a St. Pete-based nonpartisan political club.
Compare Burke’s fundraising efforts to another longtime Pinellas County constitutional officer, Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark.
Clark, 66, has been the county’s elections supervisor since 2000, when she was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush. She was subsequently elected that same year, as well as in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
To date, despite having formally been in her respective race for a month longer than Burke’s been in his, Clark has added $1,000 to her campaign, all of which came from a personal loan.
