Full Breakdown
Charlie Crist Enters St. Petersburg Mayoral Race, Setting Up High-Stakes Contest
4/28/2026, 5:35:04 AM
Crist Files to Run for St. Petersburg Mayor
On Monday, former Florida governor Charlie Crist filed paperwork to become a candidate for mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida. The nonpartisan race also includes incumbent Mayor Ken Welch, City Councilwoman Brandi Gabbard, activist Maria Scruggs, fire chief Jim Large, Shore Acres Civic Association president Kevin Batdorf, and Paul Congemi. Election officials will review the filings and set the primary.
Political Background
Crist, 70, began his career in the Florida Senate in 1992, serving as education commissioner, attorney general, and governor (2007-2011) as a Republican. He switched to independent, then Democrat in 2012, and lost Senate bids in 2010 and gubernatorial races in 2014 and 2022. This filing marks his eighth campaign for office.
Funding and Polling
Crist’s political committee, St. Pete Shines, reported raising over $475,000 in Q1 2026 and holding $1.1 million cash on hand by March’s end. Welch’s campaign raised just under $220,000 and entered April with about $193,000 cash. A late-March poll showed Crist at 23 % support, Welch at 19 %, Gabbard 6 %, Scruggs 5 %, while 42 % of voters remained undecided.
Key Issues
Crist cites affordability, government-resident communication, hurricane response, economic development, and education pathways as priorities. He also criticizes Welch for poor communication and for ending a downtown Moffitt Cancer Center campus deal. The mayor’s office controls a $1 billion annual budget, making the race pivotal for city growth.
Official Statements & Responses
In a Xin video, Crist announced, “Well it’s official. I’m now a candidate for mayor of St. Pete. God bless you all.” He told the *Tampa Bay Times* his top issue is affordability and expressed disappointment with Welch, calling him a friend.
Criticism & Opposition
Crist added the city has been “on a pause” and criticized Welch’s communication and the aborted Moffitt Cancer Center project, noting the city’s growth has stalled in recent years.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Welch has not issued a public response, leaving his perspective undocumented. Reported cash-on-hand figures vary slightly by source, creating minor reporting differences.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Well it’s official. I’m now a candidate for mayor of St. Pete. God bless you all.” — Charlie Crist, video on Xin
- “I did vote for him, I did campaign for him, but I am disappointed, like I feel a lot of citizens in St. Petersburg are.” — Charlie Crist, *Tampa Bay Times*
- “I feel frankly, for the last four years or five, that the city’s been on a pause.” — Charlie Crist, *Tampa Bay Times*
What’s Next
The primary is set for Aug. 18, 2026; if no candidate reaches 50 %, the top two will contest a Nov. 3 runoff. Campaigns are boosting fundraising and outreach.
