Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist has announced his candidacy for mayor of St. Petersburg. In a video, he shared, “It’s official. I’m a candidate for mayor of St. Pete. God bless you all,” and expressed his enthusiasm with the message, “I’m in! #stpete.”
On the campaign trail, Crist emphasized his long-standing commitment to St. Petersburg. He stated, “I have fought for the city of St. Petersburg in Congress, as school board member, attorney general, governor, and as a representative of the United States. Now, I bring that fight home to City Hall, where city government is failing to address the issues that matter most to you, my neighbors.”
Crist served as governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011, initially as a Republican before losing in a 2010 Senate race as an independent. He also faced defeat in the 2014 gubernatorial race as a Democrat. Following that, he was a Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2017 until August 2022. During his political journey, he has often found himself challenged, particularly during the 2022 gubernatorial election against incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis, who was notably critical of him.
