Mike Mikurak has outraised his opponent Charlie Justice more than three to one in his race to unseat the current Commission chair. Mikurak has raised more than $73,000 compared to Justice’s $24,000. In January alone Mikurak nearly doubled Justice’s fundraising totals.
Mikurak’s fundraising success is likely the result of a Republican push to re-gain a majority on Commission. Pat Gerard’s election in 2014 replacing Norm Roche gave Democrats a majority for the first time in 50 years.
The Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee vowed to make that victory short-term and is making good on that quest by infusing multiple high dollar contributions into Mikurak’s campaign coffers. PCREC chair Nick DiCeglie kicked in $500.
One of the county’s most powerful Republicans, State Senator Jack Latvala, also donated $500, though he did so under the name Woodrow, the first name he’s not commonly known by. Brian Aungst Jr., chair of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce, wrote a check for $500.
Joanne White, a prominent Largo Republican, donated the maximum individual contribution of $1,000. And former State Representative Ed Hooper, whose loss to Gerard in 2014 led to Democrats nabbing a majority of County Commission, kicked in $100.
Other high dollar contributions came from David Nelson Construction with a $1,000 contribution. Attorney Thomas Nash, Accountant Thomas Inzina, the company Solar Sanitation, Gulfport resident Vincent Dolan and the Suncoast Better Government Committee each donated $500. The Young Floridians for Opportunity Committee donated $250.
Meanwhile, Justice brought in fewer high-dollar contributions. He received just one maximum contribution in January from attorney Ed Armstrong. Scott Wagman, a prominent St. Pete Democrat, wrote a check for $500.
Contractor Alan Bomstein donated $300 while Justice’s colleague, Gerard, donated $250. Clearwater Marine Aquarium CEO David Yates also backed Justice with a $200 contribution. And St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman’s communications director, Ben Kirby, even cut a check for $50.
Of Justice’s 28 total contributions in January ten of them were for less than $100. Another ten were for exactly $100.
Of Justice’s contributions, none came from a PAC or committee and only one came from outside of Pinellas. Scott McLaren, a Tampa resident, donated $100.
The two face off in November.
