As Black pastors and imams stood beside Mayor Ken Welch in support of his reelection Monday, the Rev. J.C. Pritchett II took particular aim at former Florida Gov. and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist.
Pritchett, who is married to Welch’s cousin, began the campaign event at Mt. Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church by stating that the group of faith leaders supported Crist in his last run for governor four years ago. Crist, who in 2021 endorsed Welch for mayor, is now running to replace him.
“Black political influence is being chipped away by the Supreme Court, the redrawing of congressional districts and allies like Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Charlie,” Pritchett said. He was referring to Wasserman Schultz’s decision to run for one of Florida’s remaining majority-Black congressional districts following a recent Supreme Court decision that limits how states can use race when drawing political boundaries.
“We don’t know why he has chosen to return and challenge the mayor, but for a man who has built his career with the votes of Black and brown voters, it is curious and disappointing,” Pritchett said.
Reached by phone Monday, Crist said he did not have a comment.
Crist’s endorsements from faith leaders include Bishop Manuel Sykes; Rev. Frank Peterman Jr., who served as the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice secretary under Crist; and Rev. Basha Jordan Jr. The latter is the grandson of Elder Jordan, the formerly enslaved man who built the Manhattan Casino and once owned the land that became the Gas Plant neighborhood and later Tropicana Field.
St. Petersburg’s mayoral candidates are rolling out endorsements from local faith leaders ahead of a crowded primary election Aug. 18. The St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP is hosting the first mayoral debate of the year Tuesday evening.
Welch was flanked Monday by the Rev. Louis Murphy, who is in the group working to redevelop Tangerine Plaza, a city-owned strip mall that was home to the area’s only grocer; Princess Hemingway Watkins, pastor; the Rev. Clarence Williams; the Rev. Katurah Jenkins-Hall; Imam Askia Muhammad Aquil; Imam Abduls Karim Ali and Abdul-Salaam Hameed. All said they supported Welch for his mayoral run in 2021.
“I‘m grateful and thankful that he has performed as well as he has, given a 100-year hurricane that no one can plan for after two others,” Williams said. “I believe, because he has worked so hard, so diligently, and because this is a defining moment for our community, that he not only deserves a second term, he deserves our support.”
Maria Scruggs, a past president of the St. Petersburg branch of the NAACP, provided a list of endorsements to the Tampa Bay Times. They include Rev. Markus-Derrick White, Rev. Oscar Banks, Rev. Mike Hawkins, Rev. Darrel Davis, Rev. Bobby McDonald and Rev. Roger Stroman Jr.
Former St. Petersburg Fire Rescue Chief Jim Large, who is running for mayor, said he earned the endorsement of Karalynne Brubaker of Positive Impact Ministries. Positive Impact has held food banks in the Tangerine Plaza parking lot since 2020 and made an offer to purchase Tangerine Plaza.
Large said he is not attending the mayoral debate hosted by the local NAACP chapter, as branch President Esther Sanni called for him to be fired in 2023 following accusations that he made sexist, racist and homophobic remarks while serving as chief.
Large said he will participate in other debates.
Mayoral candidate and two-term City Council member Brandi Gabbard did not respond to a call and text seeking comment. Former Shore Acres Civic Association President Kevin Batdorf, also running for mayor, said he was not actively seeking endorsements from the faith community.
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