Incumbent Mayor Ken Welch faces his most significant primary challenge as polls indicate challenger Charlie Crist leads by 15 points with less than two weeks until the August 18 primary. Welch was the default front-runner but has struggled with fundraising and campaign finance reporting, raising less than $500,000 while Crist raised more than $1.8 million. Other candidates include former governor Charlie Crist, city council member Brandi Gabbard, former fire chief Jim Large, businessman Kevin Batdorf, and perennial candidate Maria Scruggs. Welch’s campaign committees have experienced reporting violations and missed deadlines; Crist’s spending included $249,000 in the week of July 25‑31, primarily on advertising and mailers, while Welch’s committee spent $68,000, mostly on mailers. Crist’s “Hope” ad began airing Friday and will run through Election Day; an earlier “Mess” ad criticized the administration’s hurricane response. A July poll placed Crist at 35% and Welch at 19%, with Gabbard at 15%, putting Welch at risk of finishing third. Financial advantage is likely to persist into the November general election, with Crist holding more than $700,000 on hand compared with Welch’s less than $81,000. Early voting ended Sunday; Election Day is August 18, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Official results may take longer if margins are narrow.