Why It Matters
The Florida mayor’s race in St. Petersburg is shaping up as a competitive contest, with a sitting city council member now drawing notable organizational support against two higher-profile opponents. The endorsement signals that progressive advocacy groups see Gabbard as a viable alternative to both the incumbent and a former statewide officeholder.
What Happened
The Florida NOW PAC, the political arm of the National Organization for Women, announced its endorsement of St. Petersburg City Council Member Brandi Gabbard in the city’s upcoming mayoral race. The group cited her record on equality, justice, environmental protection, and housing affordability as the basis for the decision.
Ruth Whitney, speaking on behalf of the organization, said, “The Florida National Organization for Women proudly endorses Councilmember Brandi Gabbard for Mayor of St. Petersburg.” Gabbard responded that she was “incredibly proud and humbled” to receive the backing.
Gabbard, a Realtor by profession, is running against incumbent Mayor Ken Welch and former Florida Governor Charlie Crist, along with three other candidates: Kevin Batdorf, Jim Large, and Maria Scruggs. The field makes for one of the more prominent local contests in the state this cycle.
Gabbard’s Platform
Her campaign agenda centers on several distinct policy areas. On energy, she has called for exploring ways to reduce the city’s dependence on Duke Energy, framing it as a move toward greater local energy independence. On housing, she supports expanding access to what planners call “missing middle” housing — the range of multi-unit residential options between single-family homes and large apartment buildings.
Gabbard has also proposed reducing parking minimums, a policy increasingly popular in urbanist circles as a way to lower development costs and encourage denser, walkable neighborhoods. The Suncoast Tampa Association of Realtors and local civic group Activate St. Pete have also endorsed her campaign.
By the Numbers
- Aug. 18: Primary election date
- Nov. 3: Runoff election date, if needed
- 50%: Share of the primary vote required to avoid a runoff
- 6 candidates are currently in the race, including the incumbent mayor and a former governor
Zoom Out
The St. Petersburg contest reflects a broader pattern in Florida municipal politics, where state-level figures increasingly seek refuge in city and county races as the Republican-dominated state legislature continues reshaping the policy landscape. Former Governor Crist, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 2022, now enters a local race where name recognition may be offset by questions about local focus and electability.
The involvement of organized advocacy groups like NOW PAC also highlights how national-affiliated organizations are increasingly active in local races, particularly in cities where mayoral decisions on housing, utilities, and land use carry significant daily impact for residents. Florida Democrats have been working to rebuild local infrastructure after years of statewide losses — a dynamic also visible in recent party consolidation efforts at the state attorney general level and in congressional recruitment efforts targeting competitive districts.
What’s Next
Voters in St. Petersburg will head to the polls on August 18 for the primary. If no single candidate clears the 50-percent threshold that night, the top two vote-getters will advance to a November 3 runoff. With six candidates in the field — including two with substantial name recognition — a runoff appears likely, giving lower-polling candidates like Gabbard additional time to consolidate support before a final decision is made.
The Florida NOW PAC endorsement is likely to boost Gabbard’s visibility with organized Democratic-leaning voters heading into the summer campaign stretch.