ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — The people of St. Petersburg have made their voices heard in electing former Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch as their next mayor, 10 Tampa Bay projects.
Welch beat out current city council member Robert Blackmon to represent the city he calls home by 60 - 40 percent Tuesday, unofficial results from Pinellas County show.
Welch will make history as the first Black mayor of St. Pete.
“This is what St. Pete looks like. This is what unity looks like. And this is what progress looks like," Welch said during his victory speech.
He is a third-generation St. Pete resident who grew up in the Gas Plant area. Prior to running for mayor, Welch became the first commissioner elected to represent County Commission District 7 and served his post for 20 years
“First and foremost, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of each and every one of you here today we have made history. But this election is not about me, it’s because of the giants that came before me— it’s because of the inclusive progress we are working towards and that’s why we’re all here today," Welch wrote, in part when declaring victory.
Welch added that the election outcome further shows the city's desire for leadership that will continue to push St. Petersburg forward.
Running under the slogan "Progress for the Sunshine State," Welch says he wants to be a unifying leader who focuses on partnerships and working toward the common goal of progressing the city’s neighborhoods.
“We will approach every issue informed by facts, data, science and, importantly, our history. History is important because we must fully understand where we are coming from as a community to determine where we want to go and to perfect our path forward," he said.
Welch came out ahead in the primary, too, garnering 39-percent of the vote back then. He was considered to be a frontrunner, of sorts, heading into the general election with the support of outgoing Mayor Rick Kriseman, among others.
Kriseman shared his support for Welch after his general election victory Tuesday, congratulating him in a statement.
"I am looking forward to sitting down with Mayor-elect Welch and working closely with him to ensure the smoothest of transitions," Kirseman said.
In his run for mayor, Welch focused on six principles, including an inclusive leadership strategy, keeping the mayor's office in touch with the city, making informed decisions, being innovative, incorporating intentional equity and impacting the community.
He says he plans to stick to those promises, keeping inclusive progress at the focus of his administration, even though the work ahead is bound to be challenging.
“And I will need your continued support and collaboration as we get to work. This is the start, not the end of our journey," Welch said.
The former county commissioner is also invested in justice reform, diversion equity and alternatives to incarceration.
During Welch's speech, he left his supporters with one message: "Let's get to work."
When it comes to Tropicana Field, Welch says the issue is close to his heart given his grandfather’s woodyard was displaced for the initial ballpark’s build. In an interview with 10 Tampa Bay, he says he wants to potentially fund a new stadium for the Rays through the county’s bed tax. But even if a new stadium doesn’t come to fruition, he could see the Rays using Al Lang Stadium.
The city’s next mayor has also put his support behind prioritizing affordable living.
“When you see most of the new housing that’s going in, you see luxury or market rate," he said earlier this year. "That’s great, but that’s not for the people who are here, for the most part.”
As a leader, Welch recently shared what he believes his greatest strengths and weaknesses are. According to Welch’s account, his greatest strength is a record of accomplishment and partnership spanning all sectors of the community. On the other hand, he says his weakness is being a “perfectionist.” He says he knows no one can be perfect at anything, but he always aspires to perfection in his work.
And while Welch is looking forward to leading the city, he’s comfortable with addressing his past.
When recently asked about a Tampa Bay Times story that accused Welch of belonging to a church with values condemning homosexuality and writing a letter to the editor regarding being pro-family and pro-life, he said his views have changed in the past 30 years.
Welch has spoken publicly about raising his two daughters and developing a different viewpoint on LGBT issues and the rights of women over time. He has said he is glad to have learned and grown from his previous outlooks.
Welch has noted that he led an effort to increase protections in a county-wide human rights ordinance to protect individuals from jobs and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation in 2008, along with enhancing protections for the transgender community.
Welch's opponent, Robert Blackmon, was gracious in defeat Tuesday night.
Blackmon urged people to be kind to each other, and work toward improving the political landscape.
At 32 years of age, Blackmon would have become the city of Saint Petersburg’s youngest mayor. But less than an hour after the polls closed it was clear the freshman city council member would fall short.
"We didn't get the end result we wanted. And first of all I want to congratulate Mayor Welch," Blackmon said in his concession speech. "Please, everybody give him a round of applause – for Ken Welch. He made history tonight: First African American mayor. And that is no small feat."
A runoff from the general election in August put Blackmon on St. Pete’s top political stage facing one of Pinellas county’s most seasoned politicians.
Blackmon had advocated for innovative, fiscally-conservative ideas that resonated with tens of thousands of the city’s voters.
He congratulated his opponent Ken Welch, wishing him luck and recognizing Welch’s historic accomplishment. Blackmon urged his supporters to give Welch a fair shake. He described the new mayor as Smart and charismatic.
Blackmon says he’d like an opportunity to meet with Welch as early as it’s convenient to discuss some of the ideas he’d still like to see the city consider. Blackmon has two months left on the city council and then plans to head back to the private sector.
He says he doesn’t have any specific political aspirations, but if called upon to serve or offer up ideas he says he stands ready to help.
“You know, I’m not looking to make a career out of politics. But if there’s ever a space for me I’m happy to hop back in and help,” said Blackmon. “It’s always been a public service for me. Not a career. But happy to help whenever I can wherever I can.”