A third candidate has jumped into the race for St. Pete City Council District 7. Will Newton, brother of incumbent Wengay Newton, designated a campaign treasurer Thursday afternoon.
Wengay Newton is term-limited out of office this year and will instead be running for the state House seat being vacated by Daryl Rousson. His brother, Will, comes with an impressive list of accomplishments throughout the community.
Will Newton is a retired firefighter EMT for St. Pete Fire and Rescue. In 2011 Winnie, his nickname among other firefighters, was honored as the Professional Firefighter of the Year by the governor and Cabinet.
Newton currently serves as the president of the Pinellas County Professional Firefighters union and district vice president of the Florida Professional Firefighters.
Will Newton is also the past president of the Child’s Park Neighborhood Association.
For now, Newton is designating himself the treasurer for his own campaign.
Newton will be joined on the ballot by Council of Neighborhoods Associations immediate past president Lisa Wheeler-Brown. Brown is a well-known community activist in low-income neighborhoods in Midtown and Child’s Park. She’s best known for her work in combating those neighborhoods’ “no snitching” codes after her son was murdered.
Also running is Aaron Sharpe. Sharpe currently serves as the president of a nonprofit he founded, Volunteer Society of America. He’s also the co-president of the Pasadena Bear Creek Neighborhood Association along with his wife. Sharpe has served on the city’s code enforcement board for six years and as the chair of that board for three.
Though Newton has designated a treasurer, he has not yet qualified for the race. The last day for qualifying is Monday. Sharpe has also not yet qualified. He said he plans to tomorrow.
Brown qualified for the race earlier this month on the first day of qualifying.
