Tuesday’s slate of elections in St. Petersburg certainly provided a list of winners and losers, and I’m not just talking about candidates. Here’s a list of the real winners and losers emerging from the city’s primary elections. Please let me know if I missed anyone.
Andrew Learned, the 30-year-old Navy veteran from Bloomingdale seeking the Democratic nomination for Florida’s 15th Congressional District, announced Wednesday the addition of several new staff members. However, the biggest news is that Learned signed on with Blue Ticket Consulting, the St. Petersburg based Democratic firm led by Tom Alte. Blue Ticket had been behind several successful Tampa Bay-area campaigns last year.
Candidates for the St. Petersburg District 6 City Council seat gathered for a meet-and-greet opportunity Monday night at the Coquina Key Clubhouse in Coquina Key, the island in the southeastern part of the district. It was a relatively low-key affair, with candidates given a minute before and after the event to interact with members of the community; many confessed beforehand they knew very little about the eight candidates in the race. In her introduction, Gina Driscoll opted not to refer to her…
Pat Gerard, whose 2014 victory made the Pinellas County Commission majority Democratic for the first time in decadess, announced Monday she will run for re-election to her countywide District 2 seat in 2018. “I’m excited about the progress we’ve made for Pinellas County,” Gerard said in a statement. “I want to continue that work to make our beautiful community the best place to live, work and raise a family.” Before running for the Pinellas Commission, Gerard served three terms as…
is one of a handful of aspiring Democrats who have filed to challenge Dennis Ross in Florida’s 15th Congressional District next year. Nevertheless, Pilkington may be the best organized of the bunch at this early point in the election cycle. Since entering the race, he’s hired some political pros to help him in his attempt to win the crowded Democratic primary next summer. That includes campaign manager Stephen Madden, Blue Ticket Consulting’s Tom Alte as his campaign finance fundraising director, Laura Williams as his communications director, and Phyllis…
Incumbent St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman has some important news to share about his re-election campaign. “Now that we’ve had a chance to add everything up and double-check everything, it’s clear we’ve passed an important milestone,” Kriseman wrote in an email that was distributed last week. That milestone is that he has crossed the $200,000 raised threshold for his re-election bid. Kriseman is seeking a second term as mayor of the Sunshine City. Voters will decide his fate later this year, with a primary election…
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman filed for re-election Thursday. “I’m asking the citizens of St. Petersburg to continue the progress of the past three years,” the Mayor said in a statement. “Working together, we’ve taken on the serious issues and made a positive impact in all corners of our city.” The announcement comes nearly three years to the day that Kriseman was sworn into office. It had been mostly smooth sailing for the former city councilman and state representative until issues with the town’s…