Gulfport’s Ward I and III Campaign Finances 2026

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With less than a week remaining in the races for Gulfport’s Ward I and Ward III City Council seats, The Gabber Newspaper reviewed campaign finance reports filed through Feb. 6, 2026, to identify each candidate’s largest donors and how they have spent their funds. Some donors made multiple contributions.

This analysis includes all reported expenditures and excludes candidate loans from fundraising totals. In-kind donations — such as goods, food, venue space, or services provided instead of cash — are included in overall contribution totals where reported.

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Gulfport City Council Ward I Campaign Finances 2026: Joe Guenther

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Among Ward I candidates, Joe Guenther reported the highest number of large-dollar contributions, including five $1,000 donors and five $500 donors. His filings show no in-kind donations.

Contributions:

Donations, including in-kind donations: $12,100
Donations, without in-kind donations: $12,100
In-kind donations: None

$1,000 Donors:

• Cullen Mahoney
• Nicholas Peters-Marital
• Chris Suh
• Jarrett Wolfe
• Jim Shatz

$500 Donors:

• George Baffa
• Gary Johnson
• Jeffrey Plummer
• Charlie Shafer
• Jeff Paonessa

$200 Donors:

• Vanessa Benson
• Jeff Thorson

$100 Donors:

• Wilhelm Anderson
• Alison Lescarbeau
• Sara McIntyre
• Don and Rose Sopak
• Marilyn M. Terry
• Margarete Tober

$25-$50 Donors:

• Sherrie Bossung ($50)
• Angela Lagan ($50)
• Biff Lagan ($50)
• Michelle Owen ($50)
• Jerry Spackman ($25)

Total expenditures: $9,745.36

Largest expenses include direct mail, signage, advertising, and campaign materials.

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Gulfport City Council Ward I Campaign Finances 2026: Jennifer Daunch

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Ward I candidate Jennifer Daunch reported a mix of small-dollar donors and modest in-kind support. Her largest reported contribution was $1,000.

Contributions:

Donations, including in-kind donations: $6,331.63
Donations, without in-kind donations: $5,703.63
Total in-kind donations: $628

$1,000 Donor:

• Jennifer M. Daunch 

$420 Donor: 

• Wonderworks (in-kind)

$250 Donors:

• Suzanne Gentes 
• Dianne Needles
• James Zoretich 

$100-$200 Donors:

• Kathryn Norman ($200)
• Robert Rubin ($200)
• Leonard Guckenheimer ($180)
• Caron Schwartz ($180)
• Marilyn Schwartz ($180)
• Robert Rubin ($158 — in-kind)
  
• Brenda Graf ($100)
• Berkeley Grimball ($100)
• Kimberly Hamilton ($100)
• Cameron MacMillan ($100)
• Jonathan Micocci ($100)
• Valerie Norman ($100)
• Marlene Shaw ($100)
• Debbie Stevenson ($100)
• April Thanos ($100)
• Lori Weber ($100)

Less Than $100 Donors:

• Rosemary Hanrahan ($75)
• Funky Flamingo ($50 — in-kind)
• Eric Garcia ($50)
• Joslyn Kearns ($50)
• Nancy MacDonald ($50)
• Rebecca Murray ($50)
• Valerie Norman ($50)
• Pete Rintye ($50)
• Marcello Ruso ($50)
• Deanne Caputo ($40)
• Caron Schwartz ($32)
• Robert Daunch ($30)
• Anna Rzadkowska ($30)
• Colleen McLaughlin ($25)
• Andria Nicholson ($25)
• Jane Pavlac ($25)
• Paul Smith ($25)
• Frank N. Zagami  ($25)
• Mark Amis ($20)
• Holly Clark ($20)
• Leslie Gilchrist ($20)
• Ivy Harris ($20)
• Priscilla Kidder ($20)
• Courtney Prokopas ($20)
• Jody Robinson ($20)
• Katie Jesenovec ($10)
• Marie Lamarre ($10)

In-Kind Donations:

$628 total (venue, refreshments, and event-related support)

Expenditures: 

Total expenditures: $3,807.51

Major spending includes campaign materials, advertising, and filing fees.

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Gulfport City Council Ward III Campaign Finances 2026: Jennifer Webb

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Ward III candidate Jennifer Webb reported the highest fundraising total among the four candidates. Webb reported a mix of traditional check contributions and online donations processed through a digital platform.

In campaign filings, many online contributions appear as amounts such as $95.70 or $47.70. These are reported as “Other Receipts” and reflect the net amount received by the campaign after payment processing fees.

Contributions:

Donations, including in-kind donations: $15,960.88
Donations, without in-kind donations: $15,960.88
In-kind donations reported: None

$1,000 Donors

David Bodenstedt
June Johns
Myers Consulting Group

$500 Donor

Sun Coast PBA PAC

$250 Donors

Futch Gould
John Schreiner
Philip Scott Linde
Suzanne Gentes

$200 Donors

Gerard O’Regan
Dianne Clarke

$150 – $175 Donors

Leonard Guckenheimer                                                                                                                                                          Alex Kingzett

$100 Donors

Biff & Angela Lagan
Elizabeth Congo
Frederick Yaekle
James Donelson
Marlene Shaw
Marrem McDowell
Mary Jane Winstead
Sharon Rose Wheeler

$75 Donors

Bonnie Skloren
Denise Mortellaro
Rosemary Hanrahan

$50 Donors

Ben Frielander
Cherry Hohensee
Christina Condos
Cynthia Boldue
David Rynerson
James Gibson
Kate Sullivan
Reg Collis
Winnie Adams

$40 Donors

Casey Wilson
Tracy Gray

$30 Donors

Bonnie Skloren
Helen Briley

$25 Donors

Diane Elmer
Marcia Miracle
Marcella Reso
Patricia Jarrett
Samantha Ring
Sylvia Rusche
Tract & Allyn DeVito

$20 Donors

Devin Neitzert
Jody Robinson
Karin Edmiston
Martha Lenderman
Norma Amthor

Online contributions (“Other Receipts”)

Alex Sink
Ashley Overend
Bryan Beckman
Christopher Eaton
Christopher Greaus
Denise Yettaw
Don Hendrickson
Doug MacGregor
Francesca Cerutti
Ingrid Bredenberg
James Byers
J.C. Pritchett
Judith Ciurczak
Karen Lieberman
Kathleen Beckman
Kathleen Cote
Ken Bishop
Nicole Carr
Pete Rintye
Sabrina Javellana
Sean Daniels
Stephen Gaudette
Susan Gore
Tom Murphy

$10 and under

Kay McGruire — $10
Tony Tereadway — $5

Expenditures:

Total expenditures: $12,741.87

Major spending includes printing, mailers, advertising, and campaign materials.

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Gulfport City Council Ward III Campaign Finances 2026: Keri Nelson

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Ward III candidate Keri Nelson reported smaller overall fundraising totals compared to the field and relied in part on event-based in-kind donations.

Contributions:

Donations, including in-kind donations: $4,605.23
Donations, without in-kind donations: $3,855.23
Total in-kind donations: $1,150

$500 Donor:

• David C. Hastings, CPA

$150-$250 Donors:

• Bonnie Prinse ($250)
• 2Birds Events ($200)
• 3 Daughters Brewing ($200 – in-kind)
• DeBaylo Marine Inc. ($150)

$100 and Under Donors:

• Kathy & Tommie Bixler ($100 – in-kind)
• Carl and Vyda Van Emburg ($100)
• Kelli Garcia ($100 – in-kind)
• Susan Hatton and Richard Del Greco ($100 – in-kind)
• Sherri Jaynes ($100)
• Kathleen Murray ($100)
• Keri Ferenc Nelson ($100 – in-kind) 
• Lance Putnam & Tom Meyer ($75 – in-kind)
• Gzim & Nagia Xheka ($50 – in-kind)
• Susan Hatton ($40)
• Tamara Diesing ($25)
• Britt Viehman ($25)
• Gzim & Nagia Xheka ($25)
• Rita Bishop ($20)
• Beth Neri ($20)
• Laura Briggs ($15 – in-kind)
• Carl and Vyda Van Emburg ($15 – in-kind)
• Marilyn Savery ($15 – in-kind)
• Tamara Diesing ($10 -in-kind)
• Tim & Susan Hilger ($10 – in-kind)
• Jeffrey & D Anne Levine ($10 – in-kind)

In-Kind Donations:

$1,150 total (venue, refreshments, and event-related support)

Expenditures:

Total expenditures: $2,488.46

Major spending includes printing, mailers, advertising, and campaign materials.

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What the Numbers Show

Through Feb. 6, Webb reported the highest total fundraising, followed by Guenther, Daunch, and Nelson. Webb and Guenther reported no in-kind contributions. Nelson and Daunch both reported event-related in-kind support. 

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