ABOVE: Darden Rice (L) and Ken Welch. Photos by Dylan Todd.
ST. PETESRBURG | Current City Councilmember and former mayoral candidate Darden Rice has endorsed Ken Welch for mayor.
Welch, a Democrat who served as a Pinellas County commissioner for five terms, will face first-term City Councilmember and Republican Robert Blackmon in St. Petersburg’s general election Nov. 2. They respectively received 39.41% and 28.25% of the vote in the city’s Aug. 24 primary, edging out Rice to advance in the race.
“Thank you St. Pete,” Rice, who would have become the city’s first openly LGBTQ mayor if elected, shared after the results. “Everyone who voted, no matter who you voted for, exercised our most important right as Americans. Your voices are critical to our democracy.”
The councilmember further noted that she looked 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.”
Rice announced her decision to back Welch Sept. 8.
“We are at a crucial point in the trajectory and future prospects of St. Petersburg,” she said in a statement. “We cannot take for granted the momentum we have going or the serious challenges and issues we must address moving forward. That’s why I’m so proud to endorse Ken Welch to be the next Mayor of St. Petersburg.
“I’ve grown up in St. Pete, served on the City Council for eight years, and worked to improve our community and share our incredible story with the world for decades,” she continued. “I’m certain that there is no one better suited to be our next Mayor than Ken.”
Rice added that Welch’s “endorsements look like the community, his experience will work for the community and together we can uplift St. Pete for generations to come.”
Welch, a longtime LGBTQ ally whose endorsements include the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus, its local chapter the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County and more, welcomed the news.
“I’ve worked with Councilmember Darden Rice for over a decade on housing, transportation, economic and community development initiatives,” he said. “With the primary election behind us, it’s important that we focus on reconciliation, and work together to pursue our common goals of equitable and inclusive progress for St. Petersburg. I appreciate Councilmember Rice’s endorsement and look forward to our future collaboration.”
For more information about Welch’s campaign, visit KenWelch.com.
