Rossi Surges in Latest Quarter, but Lore Maintains Financial Lead in District II Race
Key West City Commission candidates Bobi Lore and Mark Rossi reported similar spending through the end of May, but Lore maintains substantial cash advantage headed into the stretch.
KEY WEST, Fla. — With a little more than two months remaining before voters choose a new District II representative on the Key West City Commission, Bobi Lore remains the financial frontrunner despite a strong fundraising quarter by challenger Mark Rossi.
Campaign finance reports covering April 1 through May 31 show Rossi raised more money during the reporting period, collecting $7,350 compared with Lore’s $4,973. But Lore continues to hold a significant overall advantage, reporting $15,724 in total monetary contributions to date compared with Rossi’s $7,800.
The latest filings show the two candidates pursuing markedly different fundraising strategies.
Rossi’s second-quarter fundraising was driven largely by a $5,000 contribution to his own campaign, accounting for nearly 68% of the money he raised during the reporting period. Rossi had previously said he would not accept large campaign donations, though the largest contribution reported in the race so far came from Rossi himself.
Beyond his self-funding, Rossi’s contributors included local businesses and residents such as Conch House, TGS Collision LLC, Gary Centonze, Louis and Margaret Adorjan, Deborah Goodman and several smaller donors. Only one reported contribution came from outside Florida, a $100 donation from Rocky Joiner of Lakeway, Texas.
Lore’s campaign relied on a broader donor network, including four $1,000 contributions from Vlatko Andonov of Key West, Sam Brown of Aspen, Colorado, Alison Teal of Aspen and William Monroe of Atlanta. Additional smaller donations came from local donors including Roger McVeigh, Ray Warren, Suzanne Campbell and Daniel Jr.
Lore also reported $235 in in-kind contributions for software, supplies and campaign-related expenses.
Despite the fundraising disparity, the candidates reported nearly identical spending levels during the quarter.
Rossi spent $2,583 through May 31. His largest expenditures included $1,300 paid to Jessica Cranney for campaign production services and $1,266.58 to Keys Productions. A $16.66 PayPal processing fee accounted for his only significant expenditure outside Monroe County.
As a result, virtually all of Rossi’s campaign spending remained local.
Lore reported spending $2,441 during the same period. His largest expenses were a $1,667 payment to Miami-based polling and consulting firm Bendixen & Amandi and a $625 payment to Washington, D.C.-based voter engagement platform EveryAction. Additional expenditures included banking and payment-processing fees.
The filings underscore a philosophical contrast between the campaigns. Rossi has relied heavily on self-financing and local vendors, while Lore has raised substantially more money overall and invested in professional campaign infrastructure, including polling and voter-targeting services.
With just over two months remaining before Election Day, Lore remains the race’s financial leader by a wide margin. His campaign has raised roughly twice as much money as Rossi’s and has spent only slightly less, leaving him with a considerably larger reserve as both candidates prepare for the final phase of the contest.
Editor’s Note: Voters will have an opportunity to hear directly from all of the candidates during the HomeTown PAC’s Meet the Candidates forum tonight at the Tennessee Williams Performing Arts Center. A meet-and-greet begins at 5 p.m., followed by candidates presentations. The event is open to the public.