Retirees dominant among contributors in Entler’s latest filings, with business and development interests prominent in Harshman’s records
As of their most recent campaign finance filings with the Office of the Sarasota City Auditor and Clerk — for the period of Sept. 19 through Oct. 2 — incumbent city Commissioner Jen Ahearn-Koch is the leader of the three Nov. 3 General Election candidates when it comes to campaign contributions, The Sarasota News Leader learned this week.
Commercial Realtor John Harshman is in second place, while Flo Entler, a fitness trainer, is about $11,000 behind him.
Ahearn-Koch reported a total of $84,300.75 in what officially was her “G4” filing, dated Oct. 9. She had spent $55,663.02, the document said.
For the same period, Harshman noted a total of $78,275, with expenditures adding up to $70,787.14.
Entler reported contributions of $67,160.30, with expenditures totaling $50,241.22.
With two at-large commission seats on the Aug. 18 Primary ballot, Ahearn-Koch won by a clear margin, taking 34.33% of the 6,222 votes cast. Entler came in second, with 29.19%, while Harshman won 18.03% of the total votes.
The City Commission races are nonpartisan.
Ahearn-Koch won her first City Commission election in 2017, and her positions on the board since has demonstrated her strong support for neighborhoods. Thus, election watchers this year are waiting to see whether Entler, also a long-time neighborhood advocate, can beat out Harshman again on Nov. 3.
Entler’s campaign website notes that she is president of the Arlington Park Neighborhood Association.
“Flo previously served as Second Vice President of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations (CCNA), where she had the opportunity to learn about the common concerns (flooding, traffic, construction, affordability, safety, parks) that impact the quality of life for ALL residents of Sarasota,” her website points out.
That section of the website adds, “Day 1, we rollback the developer giveaway.
A May 28 guest editorial that Entler penned for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune featured the headline “We’re overbuilding. Let’s change course.”
On his campaign website, Harshman lays out the following list of priorities:
A sampling of Harshman’s supporters
In his campaign finance report for the period from Sept. 19 through Oct. 2, Harshman listed seven contributions. Among the donors was the Gulf Coast Builders Exchange Political Committee, which is based in Tallahassee ($500); its chair is Jeff Charlotte of J.E. Charlotte Construction LLC in Venice. Other contributors were Realtor Ian Black of Sarasota ($1,000, the top amount allowed per person or entity by state law); Realtor Margo Holeman ($200); and Jesse Biter, a well-known supporter of conservative Republican candidates, who is listed in the document as a private investor ($1,000).
A July 2012 profile of Biter in Sarasota Magazine, when he was age 34, characterized him as “an influential money man for the Sarasota GOP.”
Three years later, SRQ Magazine ran an article by Jacob Ogles, now a reporter with Florida Politics, that characterized Biter among “The Kingmakers” and one of “the big-time donors” in Southwest Florida.
And in April 2024, Bradenton Times columnist Mitch Maley called Biter a “GOP mega-donor.”
Harshman reported no contributions for the period of Aug. 14-21, that document shows.
In his campaign finance report that city staff received on Sept. 11, he noted six contributions adding up to $3,400. Among those listed was Cathy Layton, a retired commercial real estate broker who has served as chair of the Bay Park Conservancy, the nonprofit entity that manages The Bay Park in downtown Sarasota and raises private funding for that project. She gave him $1,000.
Harshman’s second filing after the primary — representing his finances from Sept. 5-18 — showed his having secured another $6,850. Among the 10 contributors were LeBaron “Barry” Preston ($1,000); Realtor Grewal Jagbir of Ian Black Real Estate in Sarasota ($500); Matt Buchanan, president and managing partner of Sarasota Ford and son of U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, a Sarasota Republican ($1,000); Ron Shugar, owner of the Sugar Champagne Bar in downtown Sarasota ($1,000); Frank John LaCivita, president and CEO of Willis A. Smith Construction in Sarasota ($1,000); and Roland Caldwell, CEO of Caldwell Trust Co. in Sarasota ($250).
Entler’s contributors
In her campaign finance filing for the period of Aug. 14-21, Entler reported having taken in $5,055 from 23 contributors. The amounts ranged from $5 to $1,000. Retiree Donna Pickup, who lives on Hyde Park Street, gave Entler the latter amount — the only one on that list to do so.
Kelly Brown, president of the Coalition of City Neighborhood Associations of Sarasota (CCNA); Alex Niehaus, a “cloud infrastructure architect,” as he describes himself on LinkedIn; and Georgia Court, owner of Bookstore1 in downtown Sarasota, were among seven donors noted at the $250 mark.
Sarah Pappas, who served as president of the State College of Florida for 11 years, gave Entler $500, that report said.
For the period of Aug. 22 through Sept. 4, Entler noted total cash and check contributions of $10,210, plus $49.20 that she provided as an in-kind contribution.
Again, Entler listed 23 people on the list, with the amounts that time ranging from $30 to $1,000.
Retirees Martha and David Campbell each gave Entler $1,000, the form shows. (The Campbells have a foundation in their name, the GrantAdvisor website says.)
Additionally, Peter Blanton, a member of the board of directors of the Downtown Sarasota Condominium Association, was a contributor at the $1,000 level. Retirees Martin Entler, Lenore Treiman and John Simon rounded out the group of $1,000 donors.
Past Sarasota Mayor Mollie Cardamone gave Entler $800, the form says.
Among Entler’s expenses in the same document was $463.75 for a booth, apparently at an event in the historic, African American community of Newtown; Enter made the payment to The Newtown Nation Inc., a nonprofit.
For the period of Sept. 5-18, Entler added $3,200 to her funds. Of that total, she made a $200 loan to the campaign.
Of the 16 other contributions, the amounts ranged from $50 to $500. All but one of those who gave Entler money during that period were listed as retirees; the other person, Joan Lovell, is an attorney.
For the period of Sept. 19 to Oct. 2 — the last report available for review prior to the deadline for this issue of the News Leader — Entler noted cash and checks totaling $1,132.80 and an in-kind contribution of $7,012.48. The latter came from the Florida Democratic Party: $6,885.75 for a mailer and $126.73 for a campaign text message.
Entler also reported another loan to the campaign; this one, for $32.80.
The contributions from six other people ranged from $100 to $300.