Rick Kriseman believes he’s run a substantive re-election campaign, contrary to comments made by a St. Petersburg City Council member who believes the race hasn’t focused enough on issues directly impacting city residents.
As discussed ad infinitum, the only drama in tomorrow’s mayoral race is whether Rick Baker wins enough of the vote to avoid a November runoff versus incumbent Rick Kriseman. The most recent survey from St. Pete Polls shows Baker with a seven-point lead and within striking distance of the fifty-percent-plus-one threshold. However, Kriseman’s campaign believes it has the Big Mo after the staunch Democrat was endorsed Friday by former president Barack Obama.
On the day before St. Petersburg’s mayoral and City Council District 6 primaries, nearly 34,000 ballots have already been cast. Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections Deborah Clark posted updated vote-by-mail numbers showing that, as of Monday morning, 67,820 mail ballots have been sent, with just under 50 percent – 33,896 – have returned. By party, 16,383 Democrats, 11,823 Republicans and 5,690 NPR/other have cast votes. With mayoral-only ballots, as of Friday, 29,842 have returned of the 59,000 mailed (just under…
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman said his get-out-the-vote efforts are in full swing just hours ahead of when voters are set to hit the polls to decide if he will get another term as the city’s top elected official. “Every day to election day we are having the conversations that matter with the voters in this city. We are talking with folks from every neighborhood and zip code about how far we’ve come these past four years and the future…
Supporters of Rick Kriseman knocked on doors and called likely voters on Sunday, less than 48 hours before the primary election in St. Petersburg. “I think the race has narrowed. It’s become a bit closer than what some of the polls have indicated,” predicted state Senator Darryl Rouson, who twice gave pep talks to volunteers at the campaign’s Midtown headquarters on 22nd Street South.
Supporters of Rick Baker canvassed neighborhoods in St. Petersburg’s Midtown three days before voters, at least the ones who have not already voted, head to polls to determine who will be mayor for the next four years.
Although the item was removed from the St. Petersburg City Council’s agenda, a number of citizens came before Council members and Mayor Rick Kriseman Thursday to express discontent with the decision to lease and operate the historic Manhattan Casino to the Callaloo Group. Leading Callaloo is Ramon Hernandez, operator of Pipo’s Cuban restaurants, who intends to offer a “Floribbean” fusion restaurant at the Casino.