{"id":304159,"date":"2026-06-11T18:18:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T18:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/304159\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T18:18:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T18:18:09","slug":"political-committee-backing-ken-welch-misses-campaign-finance-reporting-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/304159\/","title":{"rendered":"Political committee backing Ken Welch misses campaign finance reporting deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

The political committee backing St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch\u2019s<\/a> reelection campaign missed the latest campaign finance reporting deadline, adding another wrinkle to a fundraising operation that has already faced scrutiny this cycle.<\/p>\n

St. Petersburg Progress<\/a>, the political committee supporting Welch, missed its latest finance report deadline due to a family emergency, PC Chair Adrienne Bogen<\/a> told Florida Politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cDue to a family medical emergency we will be filing a day late,\u201d Bogen said.<\/p>\n

The missed deadline comes as Welch works to build support for a second term in a race that includes former Gov. Charlie Crist<\/a> \u2014 the fundraising leader with $1.6 million raised<\/a> for the race \u2014 City Council Member Brandi Gabbard<\/a>, former St. Petersburg Fire Chief Jim Large<\/a>, Maria Scruggs<\/a>, Kevin Batdorf<\/a> and Paul Congemi.<\/p>\n

The late report follows previous campaign finance issues tied to political committees supporting Welch. Florida Politics previously reported that Welch launched St. Petersburg Progress in January<\/a> after his previous committee, The Pelican Political Action Committee<\/a>, became mired in allegations that a former treasurer stole more than $200,000.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

That took place after Welch\u2019s first committee, Pelican PAC<\/a>, had its registration revoked by the state in late 2024 after warnings and fines tied to missed, late or improper filings.<\/p>\n

Welch trails Crist\u2019s political operation in fundraising, and tension between the two candidates was palpable during the first St. Petersburg mayoral debate this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the first quarter, Welch raised just under $220,000<\/a> between his campaign account and St. Petersburg Progress \u2014 though $85,000 of that came from a transfer connected to a prior committee. Without the transfer, Welch raised about $135,000 in new money during the quarter.<\/p>\n

Crist\u2019s affiliated political committee, St. Pete Shines, raised nearly $500,000 in the first quarter and entered April with about $1.1 million on hand. The committee recently announced it had reached $1.6 million.<\/p>\n

The election is August 18. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a likelihood given the number of candidates running, the top two finishers will advance to a November runoff.<\/p>\n

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