All of the incumbent Tampa City Council members running for re-election have challengers for the 2015 municipal election, but they don’t all have formidable ones.
Mike Suarez faces community activist Susan Long for his countywide district 1 seat. Long, a Seminole Heights resident and frequent public speaker at meetings, has raised just shy of $500. All of the funding was brought in during October with one Tampa couple, Helen and Randy Baron, providing more than half of her contributions. Long has spent just $30 so far on bank charges.
Suarez is well on his way funding his campaign. He has more than $34,000 in contributions so far. Suarez raised $13, 325 during October, making it his most productive month so far. Suarez raked in three $1,000 contributions from attorney Vincent Pawlowski, AAA Investments of Tampa Bay and an LLC managed by prominent businessman Joseph Capitano. Tampa Electric Company and Associated Builders and Contractors as well as several other individuals contributed $500 each.
Suarez spent a little more than $1,500 in October. He bought an ad from the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee for $300 for the group’s annual dinner. Suarez also purchased an ad from the NAACP for $350 and spent $600 on catering.
So far there is only one candidate running to replace term-limited council member Mary Mulhern for her countywide District 2 seat. Joseph Citro has raised $2,150 for his bid so far. All of those contributions came in October including contributions from himself and several individuals in the insurance industry. Term-limited city council chair Charlie Miranda is rumored to run for Mulhern’s seat, but hasn’t announced whether or not he will.
District three incumbent Yvonne Yolie Capin faces former city council candidate Paul Erni. Capin has raised nearly $50,000 compared to Erni’s $3,290. Capin brought in $9,675 in October. She raked in two $1,000 contributions from business owner Hope Montgomery and the retail store Chic of Tampa. Several $500 contributions rolled in from two cab companies, Yellow Cab and Cab Plus, as well as TECO and Mako’s Inc., a valet service. Capin only spent $115 in October on an advertisement in La Gaceta.
Erni raised just $610 in October split between two contributions from Karen Erni Johnson and Travis Lee Allred II. He spent $10 on his website.
Frank Reddick faces two challengers in his East Tampa district 5. Tampa cop Borthland Roachesta Murray and businessman Quiton Robinson have raised a combined total of just more than $1,000. Murray has raised $950. He didn’t bring in any contributions in October. Robinson has only raised $150 – $100 of that came from his own pocket.
Reddick, however, has rallied $19,000 in contributions. ABC Habana Group kicked in $1,000 in October and attorney Mark Bentley cut a check for $750. Reddick enjoyed several $500 contributions from TECO, Lovett & Co. CPAs and the International Association of Firefighters for a total of $3,925 in October. He spent $270 on T-shirts.
Joseph Caetano is challenging Lisa Montelione for the district 7 seat he lost to her last election. Caetano has raised just $700 so far in his bid to unseat Montelione. During the month of October, Caetano raised $150 and spent $396 on office supplies like printer ink and stamps.
Montelione got a late start on fundraising but has already grown her campaign cash lead with $16,265 in total contributions. Most of that, $13,515, rolled in during October. F.A.S.T. Inc., ABC Habana, Elder Ford and Capitano’s LLC each contributed $1,000. Montelione brought in 11 $500 contributions including one from TECO who has contributed to all of the incumbents running for re-election.
Montelione spent $663 on her election kick-off party.
