ABOVE: Ken Welch (L) by Dylan Todd and Robert Blackmon via Blackmon’s Facebook page.
ST. PETERSBURG | Mayoral candidates Ken Welch and Robert Blackmon will advance to the general election on Nov. 2, less than 30% of St. Petersburg voters determined in the city’s Aug. 24 primary.
Welch, a Democrat, is a former Pinellas County commissioner who served in the role for five terms. Blackmon is a Republican and first-term city councilmember whose resignation from the post takes effect Jan. 6, 2022.
According to election night results from the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections, 55,445 ballots were cast for mayor in the nonpartisan race. As of Aug. 25, Welch received 21,812 votes, or 39.41% to best Blackmon’s 15,638 or 28.25%.
Each candidate edged out City Councilmember Darden Rice, who would have become St. Petersburg’s first openly LGBTQ mayor if elected. She received 9,180 votes, or 16.59%.
None of the remaining candidates – Pete Boland, Michael Ingram, Torry Nelson, Wengay Newton and Marcile Powers – received more than 8% of the vote. Had any candidate received more than 50%, they would have won the race outright.
Welch is a longtime LGBTQ ally who has been endorsed by the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus and the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County, its local chapter. As a commissioner, he supported amending Pinellas County’s Human Rights Ordinance to include sexual orientation in 2008 and reintroduced the measure five years later to add protections for gender identity.
Blackmon has also expressed support for the community as a city councilmember, though an anti-LGBTQ social media post apparently made by the mayoral candidate in 2007 resurfaced Aug. 11.
Addressing similar posts disparaging other minorities to the Tampa Bay Times, he advised they “do not reflect who I am, what I stand for or who I will conduct myself as St. Petersburg’s next mayor.” During his election night speech, he also specifically vowed to fight for all who live in St. Petersburg, “regardless of who you are, the color of your skin [or your] sexual orientation.”
Following the results of the race and prior to remarks from either candidate, Rice addressed supporters in a statement.
“Thank you St. Pete,” she said. “Everyone who voted, no matter who you voted for, exercised our most important right as Americans. Your voices are critical to our democracy.”
“While we didn’t get the result that we wanted, our work continues,” she noted. “You can count on me to keep fighting for a more equitable St. Pete where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. I will continue to work for access to affordable housing, a world class education for our children, clean water, and a strong, vibrant economy.”
Rice also noted that she looks forward to “continuing to listen to the people of St. Pete, and working with our new mayor to make our city stronger in any way I can.”
Blackmon addressed supporters next.
“I was told when I was getting in this race that it was impossible, I was told ‘don’t get in, the field is set,’” he said. “‘The leading candidates have been in for two years, they’ve raised over half a million dollars and they will completely outspend and outwork you.’
“I’ve never been one to go for the status quo … we can have change in this city, because sometimes we’re not doing things the right way,” he continued. “I’ve been in this campaign for less than three months and in that time we made it to the runoff … we’ve shocked the system and shown what we can do.”
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“The voters of St. Pete have spoken & I am deeply honored to be headed into November’s runoff election,” Welch said in a statement. “Because of you, our campaign is one step closer to the inclusive progress we fight for each day. Thank you for joining me – together, we win!”
He also addressed supporters directly.
“For more than a year we have asked this community a fundamental question,” Welch began. “‘What does progress look like?’ And tonight the voters have given us a clear answer.
Our community wants inclusive progress founded in equity, informed by history, facts and science and committed to the principles of accountability and opportunity for all. That’s what our campaign is about, and the voters agree with our vision for progress for our city.”
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The Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus subsequently congratulated Welch on his placement in the race, noting that they had “proudly endorsed Ken Welch for Mayor of St. Petersburg because he represents inclusive progress for the city’s LGBTQ+ residents and community at large.
“It’s clear from tonight’s election results that St. Petersburg voters support that vision,” they noted, “and we believe they will make the same decision on November 2.”
For more information about Welch’s campaign, visit KenWelch.com. For more information about Blackmon’s, visit Blackmon4StPete.com.
