St. Pete mayor race: Welch, Crist sharpen contrasts at forum
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Charlie Crist (left) and Ken Welch will face off in November. Photos: Octavio Jones/Getty Images
Tensions deepened between Mayor Ken Welch and former Gov. Charlie Crist in the first public forum attended by both candidates since the primary.
Why it matters: With mail ballots set to go out this week, St. Petersburg voters have just over a month left to decide who they want to lead the city for the next four years.
- They'll square off again Oct. 13 in a televised debate hosted by Bay News 9. Unlike Friday's forum, questions won't be shared with the candidates in advance.
State of the race: Following his 14-point lead over Welch in the primary, Crist has continued to maintain a fundraising edge and has gathered key endorsements from community leaders, most recently former mayor and Welch backer Rick Kriseman.
- That means Crist now has the backing of St. Pete's four most recent living mayors. City Council chair Lisset Hanewicz and Council members Gina Driscoll and Mike Harting have also endorsed the former governor.
- Welch's supporters include Council members Deborah Figgs-Sanders and Copley Gerdes, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, and the police and fire unions.
The latest: At Friday's forum, organized by the Tampa Bay Breakfast Club podcast, Crist reinforced his belief that Welch hasn't been accessible and has failed to deliver on key projects.
- Welch defended his record and maintained that Crist's platform is vague and his criticism baseless. He challenged Crist in the moment several times.
Case in point: Crist — answering a question about how he would keep residents abreast of his progress if elected — said he'd hold monthly meetings with constituents and that it's a problem the mayor isn't available and doesn't return calls.
- "What's being stated by the governor just is not true," Welch said, pointing to examples like his City Hall on Tour. He pressed Crist for specifics.
- "I talk to people every day that tell me they can't get a meeting with the mayor," Crist said.
- "Give me a name," Welch retorted. "I'm not going to do that, Mayor," Crist replied.
Another question centered on Tangerine Plaza, a city-owned shopping center in a federal food desert that has struggled to keep a grocer.
- After City Council members approved a redevelopment plan in 2024, the developer has asked for, and been granted, several extensions.
- Crist dinged Welch for not holding the developer to a firm deadline, while Welch defended the process and questioned Crist's commitment to the issue.
The intrigue: Crist has previously expressed skepticism over the feasibility of leaving Duke Energy and forming a municipal electric utility, which the Welch administration is currently studying.
- Answering an audience question Friday, he took a firmer stance:
- "I don't think it's a good idea," the former governor said, pointing to a Duke-commissioned study that said it could cost the city as much as $4 billion.
- Welch said he's awaiting the results of the city-commissioned study.