Former Florida governor Charlie Crist has been elected mayor of St. Petersburg, beating incumbent Ken Welch with 62% of the vote after all 86 precincts reported, according to St. Pete Catalyst. Welch received 38% of the vote.
Crist, 70, addressed supporters at his victory rally, noting that his decision to run for mayor stemmed from a love of his hometown. “People would say to me, ‘You know, you’ve been governor. Why are you going to run for mayor?’ Because it’s home. It’s hometown, and you know, home is where the heart is,” Crist said.
The race, officially nonpartisan, featured a heated campaign. Crist declined a live one‑on‑one debate with Welch, opting instead for a single televised forum. During that forum, Crist criticized Welch’s handling of the city’s recovery from two hurricanes, the Tampa Bay Rays’ lease termination, and the lack of affordable housing initiatives. Welch, 62, defended his record and challenged Crist to provide specific details on his campaign promises.
A major point of contention was the future of the 86‑acre Tropicana Field site, which will become available when the Rays’ lease ends after the 2028 season. Welch favors a mixed‑use development in the Historic Gas Plant District, having selected The Burg Bid led by Thompson Whitney Blake earlier this year. Crist said he wants more information before proceeding and could reopen the bidding process, echoing Welch’s earlier decision to reject a prior proposal from former Mayor Rick Kriseman.
Fiscal issues also dominated the dialogue. Crist proposed a property‑tax cut, arguing that the city could offset lost revenue by eliminating what he called “unnecessary positions” at City Hall—262 positions added during Welch’s tenure. Welch countered that many of those roles are funded by utility fees and taxes, not property taxes, and challenged Crist to detail the cuts needed to fund his proposal.
Both candidates opposed Amendment 3, the statewide ballot measure to expand homestead property‑tax exemptions, which passed with 62% of the vote. Crist’s victory marks a shift in leadership as the city prepares for upcoming decisions on the Tropicana Field redevelopment, affordable housing, and fiscal reforms.
Sources: stpetecatalyst.com
