ABOVE: St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch. Photo via the Welch campaign.
ST. PETERSBURG | The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus released its list of endorsements Aug. 12 for the city’s upcoming primary, among them longtime LGBTQ ally Ken Welch for mayor.
The caucus represents the interests of LGBTQ Floridians as an arm of the state’s Democratic Party. The Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County, which endorsed Welch last month, is among its 21 chapters.
Welch served on the Pinellas County Commission for five terms, during which he led a number of high-profile, LGBTQ-focused initiatives. LGBTQ advocates have publicly been divided between the mayoral candidate and current St. Petersburg City Councilmember Darden Rice, a fellow Democrat who would become the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor if elected.
“Both of the top Democratic contenders in the mayoral race have excellent records on LGBTQ+ issues,” openly LGBTQ Stonewall Democrats President Paul Ray shared July 28, “but the Stonewall Democrats believe that Ken Welch is the best candidate to unify St. Petersburg, break down barriers across our city’s diverse neighborhoods and continue to move the city forward.”
The Stonewall Democrats endorsed Copley Gerdes for St. Petersburg City Council’s District 1, openly LGBTQ Clifford Hobbs III for District 4 and Richie Floyd for District 8 as well. Openly LGBTQ Mhariel Summers was also endorsed for the Nov. 2 general election and each of the endorsements were seconded by the statewide caucus.
“Our chapters have rigorous endorsement processes to identify the best candidates to represent the LGBTQ+ community,” Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus President Stephen Gaskill said in a statement. “We are thrilled to echo Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County and endorse these candidates for St. Petersburg municipal elections because of their vision and support for LGBTQ+ residents. We believe they will unify St. Petersburg and move the city forward.”
“We are proud to endorse this diverse slate of pro-equality Democrats, which includes leaders who would become the first openly LGBTQ Black man and first openly LGBTQ Black woman on the St. Petersburg City Council,” Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus Campaign Director Susan McGrath added.
McGrath also serves as a member and former president of the Stonewall Democrats. She subsequently noted that “we look forward to working with them to bring our city together and ensure every resident has the opportunity to thrive.”
“It is an honor to receive the endorsement of the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus,” Welch says. “As the next mayor of the Sunshine City, I look forward to expanding upon opportunities and experiences for residents and visitors alike that celebrate and embrace our pride and diversity. I can’t wait to hit the ground running and continue paving the way by creating the blueprint for inclusive cities across the country.”
The endorsement follows the resurgence of an apparent anti-LGBTQ social media post made by a third mayoral contender gaining traction, current St. Petersburg City Councilmember Robert Blackmon. Both the Welch campaign and Rice condemned the Republican’s alleged rhetoric.
If no mayoral candidate receives more than 50% of the vote on Aug. 24, the top two candidates will advance to the general election on Nov. 2.
For more information about the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County, visit LGBTQDems.org and StonewallPinellas.org. To learn more about Welch’s campaign, visit KenWelch.com.
