Charlie Crist elected St. Petersburg mayor

Charlie Crist has been elected mayor of St. Petersburg.

Crist defeated incumbent Mayor Ken Welch in Tuesday's general election. With all 86 precincts reporting, Crist received 62% of the vote while Welch received 38%. This margin exceeded the gap seen in the August primary, where Crist won with 35% of the vote to Welch's 20.5%. Neither candidate secured a majority in that primary, which allowed both to advance to the general election.

The campaign featured several points of contention regarding city management and the future of the Tropicana Field site. The 86-acre property will become available when the Tampa Bay Rays' lease expires at the end of the 2028 season. Welch supports a mixed-use development in the area, known as the Historic Gas Plant District. He selected The Burg Bid, led by Thompson Whitney Blake, earlier this year for that project. Crist stated he wants more information before proceeding and may send the project back out for new bids. That approach mirrors his predecessor Rick Kriseman's rejection of the initial proposal when Welch took office.

The Tampa Bay Rays initially agreed to rebuild on the Tropicana Field site but withdrew after Hurricane Milton damaged the stadium's roof. The dome was repaired and hosted the World Series last week. However, the team has since agreed to construct a new stadium in Tampa. Crist argued the city should continue pursuing the Rays until construction starts in Tampa. Welch called that strategy unrealistic, pointing to the city's past failed attempts to keep the team.

Crist also proposed a property tax cut, suggesting that unnecessary positions at City Hall could be removed to offset the reduction. He stated that 262 city positions were added during Welch's administration, describing the government as bloated. Welch responded that many of those positions are funded by utility fees and taxes rather than property taxes. He challenged Crist to specify exactly which positions would be cut to make the tax reduction feasible.

Crist delivered a victory speech Tuesday night, shortly after the polls closed. He stood with his fiancée, Chelsea Grimes. Crist described the race as a nonpartisan experience that brought together Republicans, Democrats, independents, and residents of various backgrounds. He said the city comes together in this race. During the campaign, Crist, 70, criticized Welch's handling of hurricane recovery, the Rays' departure, and affordable housing. Welch, 62, defended his record and questioned the specificity of Crist's pledges. Both candidates opposed Amendment 3, a statewide proposal to expand homestead property tax exemptions. That measure passed Tuesday with 62% of the vote.