3 races to watch in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties
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Florida's primary election day has arrived, with local, state and federal offices on the ballot.
Why it matters: Voters in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties will go to the polls today to choose which candidates advance to the general election on Nov. 3 and, in some races, who wins outright.
- Here are three races we're watching.
St. Petersburg mayoral race: Ken Welch enters this nonpartisan contest vulnerable, with former allies now challenging him and threatening to unseat the once-dominant incumbent.
- Polls show former Gov. Charlie Crist leading the crowded field, but short of the support needed to prevent this six-way race from going to a runoff.
- Other challengers include City Council Member Brandi Gabbard; former NAACP St. Petersburg president Maria Scruggs; former city fire chief Jim Large; and former Shore Acres Civic Association president Kevin Batdorf.
State Senate District 16: With no Republican on the ballot, this universal primary will decide the seat outright, pitting House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell against state Rep. Michele Rayner.
- Rayner has won backing from 22 Democratic House members, an unusual show of caucus support against Driskell, who has led the chamber's Democrats for four years, the Florida Phoenix reports.
- Driskell, meanwhile, has received support from Meta, Facebook and Instagram’s parent company, after having opposed state efforts to regulate AI, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
- The seat spans the region's two largest cities, Tampa and St. Pete, and is being vacated by term-limited state Sen. Darryl Rouson.
Board of County Commissioners, District 5: This countywide race in Hillsborough County features an incumbent who has been outraised and outspent by both her primary opponent and the Democratic challenger.
- Commissioner Donna Cameron Cepeda has served on the board since 2022 and voted to dismantle the county's affordable housing trust and against committing funds to a new Rays stadium.
- Stacy Hahn, a member of the Hillsborough County School Board, has said she wants to "eliminate waste" in the county's budget and invest in law enforcement and transportation infrastructure.
- She's raised about $114,000 and spent $109,000, eclipsing Cameron Cepeda, who has raised roughly $32,000 and spent $29,000.
Zoom out: Looking for other races? We’ve got you covered. Here are our rundowns of the other offices up for grabs in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.