St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman travels across Tampa Bay once again this week for a Tampa fundraiser to support his re-election effort.
According to the invite, the Thursday reception is to “celebrate the progress of the past three years in St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay.”
Leading the host committee are several prominent Tampa Democrats, including former business attorney Kent Bailey, who now serves as president of Coppertail Brewing Co.; former Florida House candidate Bob Buesing and his wife Karen; Tucker/Hall President Bill Carlson and Chairman Tom Hall; and past Pinellas Democratic party chair Mark Hanisee.
Also hosting are Hillsborough County Commissioner Pat Kemp; Shelley Reback; attorney Tom Scarritt and his wife Linda; land-use attorney David Singer; former County Commissioner Ed Turanchik, and attorney Morris “Sandy” Weinberg.
Kriseman faces a crowded primary field Aug. 29, which includes his leading opponent – former two-term Mayor Rick Baker – as well as Anthony Cates III, Paul Congemi, Theresa “Momma Tee” Lassiter and Jesse Nevel. Candidate Ernisa Barnwell had been disqualified due to a filing error; any vote cast for her will not count.
Most recent campaign financing reports show the first-term incumbent raising more than $352,000 as of July 21, with over $73,000 on hand. This compares to Baker’s $355,490 raised to date, with more than $151,000 on hand.
The last time Kriseman visited Tampa to raise money was June at the Tampa law firm of Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick.
Thursday’s event begins 5:30 p.m. at Mise en Place, 442 W. Kennedy Blvd. #110, in Tampa. RSVP is with [email protected].
