The political committee supporting former Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn in his eventual bid to return to his old job leading the city raised $414,750 in the fourth quarter of 2025, bringing the overall fundraising for Friends of Bob Buckhorn to $1.4 million, according to a press release from his committee.

“You can feel the excitement in this community as we prepare for Tampa’s next chapter,” Buckhorn said. “That enthusiasm is reflected in these numbers. These are friends, neighbors, and people I’ve worked alongside for years who believe in this city and its future. That kind of trust means everything to me, and I’m grateful for every person who’s helped build this momentum.”

Buckhorn has not officially launched a mayoral campaign for the race next year to replace incumbent Mayor Jane Castor, who is facing term limits. But he has widely indicated he plans to run.

The committee disclosed overall fundraising in the fourth quarter to Florida Politics and details are not yet publicly available. Reports are due to the Division of Elections by Jan. 12. The press release did not detail donors or expenditures.

As of Sept. 30, the most recent date for which fundraising details are available, Buckhorn had raised $1 million and spent just over $10,000.

The early fundraising could serve to dissuade others considering running for Mayor as the race approaches in 2027, though it’s widely expected Buckhorn will face at least one opponent, current City Council member Bill Carlson, who has long been an adversary to the former Mayor.

Buckhorn, a Democrat, served two terms as Tampa Mayor, from 2011 to 2019, and left office with strong approval ratings. While Tampa limits Mayors to two terms, those limits reset once out of office for two terms, which allows Buckhorn to run again.

The race is widely expected to serve as a referendum of the left-of-center politics Buckhorn represents against the more progressive leanings of Carlson. In July, a poll unattributed to any potential candidate went out to Tampa voters asking about the 2027 contest. Florida Politics did not obtain the results, but a recipient provided screenshots of the questions. One of them curiously left out the option for respondents to indicate an unfavorable opinion of Carlson, while including unfavorable as an option for Buckhorn. Carlson denied knowledge of the poll when asked about it.

Other potential candidates listed in the poll included former Rep. Ed Narain, Hillsborough County Property Appraiser Bob Henriquez and Tampa City Council member Lynn Hurtak.

Two relative political unknowns, Alan Jared Henderson and Julie Magill, are the only candidates filed for Mayor so far.

A poll from Mercury Public Affairs in May showed Buckhorn far outperforming others in a five-way hypothetical race including Carlson and Hurtak, as well as Sen. Jay Collins and House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell. It put Buckhorn 27 points ahead of his closest competitor in the survey, Carlson, at 49% to 22%.

Driskell has since announced her candidacy for Senate, while Collins has since been appointed Lieutenant Governor by Gov. Ron DeSantis and there is speculation he may run for Governor this year. The Mercury poll did not include Henriquez or Narain.

The Florida Coalition for Children has tapped Denise Marzullo to serve as President and CEO-designate, setting the stage for her to succeed Kurt Kelly, the current leader.

Marzullo, who holds an MBA and is a licensed mental health counselor, brings more than 17 years of experience spanning child welfare, early learning, mental health and the state juvenile justice system.

“Denise brings an exceptional depth of experience, vision, and heart to this role. Her proven leadership across child welfare, behavioral health, and early learning — combined with her commitment to community-based solutions — makes her uniquely qualified to lead the Coalition into its next chapter,” Kelly said.

“I am confident that working alongside Denise during this transition will ensure a strong, seamless handoff and continued momentum for our members and the children and families we serve.”

Marzullo comes to the Coalition after leading All Star Children’s Foundation, a nationally recognized nonprofit that provides trauma-informed therapeutic services for children in foster care. During her tenure as CEO, the organization expanded campus-based programming, strengthened public-private partnerships, and advanced research-driven trauma screening and treatment models for children who have experienced abuse and neglect.

Marzullo previously led the Early Learning Coalition of Duval and chaired the Association of Early Learning Coalitions. Earlier in her career, Marzullo served as President and CEO of Mental Health America of Northeast Florida, where she founded the Florida Mental Health Summit and led statewide advocacy efforts.

“I am honored to join the Florida Coalition for Children at such a pivotal moment. The Coalition’s mission to advocate for Florida’s most vulnerable children deeply aligns with my professional experience and personal values,” Marzullo said.

“I look forward to working closely with Kurt, the Board, and our members during this transition and to building upon FCC’s strong foundation to advance a child welfare system that is responsive, collaborative, and focused on lasting outcomes for children and families across Florida.”

Former House Speaker Paul Renner remains a force in the Republican race for Governor, with a second consecutive quarter of solid fundraising, second only to U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

Renner, a Republican from Palm Coast, reports raising more than $5.4 million since launching his campaign, reflecting what his campaign says is “strong enthusiasm from conservative donors, grassroots supporters and business leaders who recognize Renner’s record of leadership, fiscal responsibility, and commitment to conservative values.”

“According to campaign finance reports, Renner raised: $2.4 Million in Q4, bringing Friends of Paul Renner to over $5.1 Million total raised, complemented by an almost $400,000 campaign estimate, for a grand total just shy of $5.5 Million cumulative,” the Renner campaign is announcing.

Both Renner and a key advisor say this level of fundraising vindicates the effort so far and keeps the campaign on track.

“Our entire team has been working hard to stockpile the resources that we need to run a race and win, and crossing the $5 Million mark was an important goal to achieve,” Renner said. “This campaign is powered by grassroots supporters and a team who believe the Free State of Florida is worth fighting for. Thank you for the support to protect that brand.”

“This level of early support sends a clear message: Floridians are ready for proven, principled leadership that delivers results; Paul Renner is that leader,” said Brett Doster, Renner for Governor senior adviser. “Raising more than $5.4 million at this stage shows that Renner is on track to amplify his message and win this Primary.”

Renner is still far behind Donalds in fundraising, with the Naples Congressman having raised $45 million through the end of 2025, including more than $13 million in the fourth quarter.

However, while Donalds is the clear frontrunner, many voters remain undecided.