Former St. Pete City Council candidate Sheila Scott-Griffin has endorsed Will Newton for the District 7 seat she lost during last month’s Primary Election.
Scott-Griffin finished third in a five-way race for the seat. Newton and Lisa Wheeler-Brown grabbed the most votes and will face each other in the November 3 general election.
“My platform was on issues of education, economics and families as critical concerns for the citizens of District 7. I want to congratulate and acknowledge “Will” Newton’s candidacy as the candidate that is a true leader,” Scott-Griffin wrote in a statement. “As a voter, I urge the 17-plus percentage of supporters and others to look to this candidate with a long history of integrity, faithfulness to family, sobriety and making executive decisions. In order to thrive with great leadership, education, knowledge and experience must be the markers for our choice.”
Scott-Griffin brought in 487 votes. With her endorsement, many of those voters may turn to Newton for the general election. Considering Newton trailed Wheeler-Brown by fewer than 100 votes in the primary, it could be a huge kick-start for his campaign.
However, the general election will be a citywide vote. The primary was closed to just District 7 voters. That means there are thousands of extra citywide votes up for grabs. Nevertheless, the endorsement is a win for the Newton campaign.
Scott-Griffin was the only Republican in the race. Her nod could give Newton an edge up on more conservative voters in northern parts of the city.
In her letter endorsing Newton, Scott-Griffin touched on part of Wheeler-Brown’s community appeal. Wheeler-Brown’s son was murdered in 2008. It catapulted her into a life of activism working to create safer streets and break down a hushed atmosphere between people and police.
“Each of us have family tragedies (death, illness, impairment), but this cannot be the basis for choosing a municipal leader,” Scott-Griffin wrote. “Instead, having an unimpeded 15-year track record, in the face of family adversity is a greater measure of resolve. The candidate that knows how to lead large organizations, strategize for change, build strong diverse coalitions and use wisdom in logistics and tactics must be the citizens’ choice. The choice is an easy one in District 7. I will vote that choice on November 3rd and I urge other voters to do the same.”
