Grassroots Money Shapes Early District V City Commission Race
Early finance filings show resident-backed campaign as establishment support remains unsettled.
As campaign finance reports begin to roll in across the City of Key West dais, early disclosures are offering a first look at how candidates are positioning themselves financially — and politically — ahead of a consequential election cycle marked by public unease with City Hall.
In the District V City Commission race, challenger Chris Massicotte is emerging with a fundraising profile built largely on small, resident-driven contributions as he prepares to face former city manager Greg Veliz, who was appointed to the seat following the death of Commissioner Mary Lou Hoover and has said he does not intend to seek election — a position that has yet to be formally tested.
Massicotte’s first filing shows he has raised approximately $18,000 to $20,000 from roughly 100 contributors, a donor pool dominated by modest individual contributions rather than a small number of large checks. The most common donation level falls between $25 and $50, underscoring a campaign funded by volume rather than consolidation.
Small Dollars, Broad Base
The most frequent contribution amount in Massicotte’s report clusters around $26, with many donors giving repeatedly at similar levels. While the overall total is smaller than in citywide races — consistent with the lower cost and narrower electorate of a single-district contest — the structure of the fundraising mirrors a broader grassroots pattern emerging across the city.
The donor list reflects a cross-section of residents, including retirees, service workers, editors, consultants, musicians and small-business owners, with the overwhelming majority listing Key West addresses.
Campaign finance analysts note that such patterns often indicate campaigns driven by neighborhood credibility and local trust rather than access to power or institutional backing.
Limited Institutional Footprint
Campaign records show little early involvement from major corporate or organized business interests. Aside from routine expenditures for compliance, printing and campaign services, the filing is overwhelmingly composed of individual donations.
That contrasts with past cycles in which district-level races often featured heavier early support from politically connected donors or organized interests aligned with City Hall. For now, those players appear largely absent from Massicotte’s report, suggesting either a wait-and-see posture or a contest that has not yet fully drawn establishment attention.
Candidate Self-Support
The filing also reflects limited self-funding, including in-kind contributions from Massicotte himself — a common practice for candidates covering early campaign expenses such as compliance costs, materials and initial outreach before fundraising activity ramps up.
Veliz Question Looms
The financial picture takes on added significance given the unresolved status of Veliz’s candidacy. Appointed to the District V seat after Hoover’s death, Veliz has publicly stated he does not plan to seek election. Whether he ultimately adheres to that position could reshape the race — and its fundraising dynamics — considerably.
If Veliz enters the contest, future filings are expected to provide a clearer contrast between a resident-funded challenger campaign and any establishment-backed effort that emerges.
Early Signal, Not Final Verdict
As with other early filings across the city, Massicotte’s report is best read as a first signal rather than a final verdict. Still, it adds to growing evidence that a segment of the Key West electorate is gravitating toward campaigns financed by neighbors and small donors, reflecting broader concerns about transparency, accountability and quality-of-life governance.
Additional campaign finance reports due later in the reporting period are expected to clarify whether that grassroots pattern holds — or whether traditional power brokers move decisively into the race.
The public can review campaign finance reports at the Supervisor of Elections website.