Neither Ken Welch nor Brandi Gabbard raised funds to their political committees in most recent period

Neither incumbent Mayor Ken Welch nor current St. Petersburg City Council Member Brandi Gabbard raised any funds to their respective political committees supporting their campaigns for Mayor, according to newly filed campaign finance reports covering activity July 18-24.

Welch raised just $1,200 to his campaign account during that period, records show. Gabbard’s finance report for her campaign account has not yet been posted.

Charlie Crist, the fundraising and polling front-runner in the race, also has not yet posted finance reports, which are due by the end of day Friday.

Gabbard previously told Florida Politics she was not raising funds through her committee, Forward Together PC. However, she has accepted a $10,000 check this month from another political committee, and $2,500 from a local developer.

Welch has been actively raising funds through his committee, St. Petersburg Progress.

The stagnant activity in the most recent fundraising period comes as both candidates significantly trail Crist in fundraising, and as Gabbard also significantly trails Welch.

Even without totals posted for the most recent week, Crist has raised nearly $1.7 million to his St. Pete Shines political committee, including more than $76,000 raised in the previous fundraising period, from July 4-10. During that period, Welch raised just $12,500.

Overall, Welch has raised $354,060 to his committee, and another nearly $79,000 to his campaign, as of July 24. As of July 17, Crist had raised nearly $95,000 to his campaign.

Gabbard, meanwhile, has raised just over $47,000 to her campaign as of July 17, and a little more than $23,000 to her committee.

Cash-on-hand totals aren’t any better for candidates not named Crist.

Welch maintains about $27,000 in his campaign and a little less than $122,000 in his committee, for a combined total of about $149,000 between the two accounts. Gabbard has just $14,000 remaining in her campaign and about the same in her committee, for about $28,000.

Crist’s on-hand total, which again does not include the most recent week of fundraising, sits at more than $878,000 in his committee and nearly $58,000 in his campaign, totaling about $936,000.

Those numbers would pose a challenge for any candidate in any race, but they are especially significant in this race as polling continues to fall in Crist’s favor.

Welch and Gabbard are significantly behind Crist, with the most recent poll taken this week showing Crist with a 15-percentage-point lead over Welch and a 19-percentage-point lead over Gabbard. Among those who have already voted, the poll showed Crist above the 50% threshold needed to win the race outright on Aug. 18, at nearly 51%.

While the “already voted” total is still small, Crist’s polling among those who have already cast a ballot means trailing candidates must work to push their messages to ensure Crist doesn’t reach 50%. With limited resources, Welch is limited in his final Primary campaign push and Gabbard lacks the cash for any significant push.

Crist’s campaign finance reports are expected to be available later Friday and will better flesh out his cash advantage.