A political committee backing St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch is going after Charlie Crist’s record as Governor in a new attack ad ahead of the Aug. 18 Primary.

St. Petersburg Progress announced that the ad, titled “Worst,” will run on digital and streaming.

The spot targets Crist over his time as Governor, critiquing his record on taxes, jobs and public safety funding, and his party switch earlier during his political career. Crist was a Republican until 2010, when he became an independent during his U.S. Senate campaign. He joined the Democratic Party in 2012.

“Charlie Crist is running again. Switching parties again. But don’t forget his record,” a male narrator says to start the ad. “Forbes Magazine called him ‘the worst Governor in America,’ massive job losses, and $2 billion in new taxes on us, and Charlie Crist’s property tax scheme led to defunding local law enforcement: 161 fewer men and women in uniform.”

The ad’s narrator changes mid-spot to a female voice supporting Welch.

“No wonder police and firefighters back Ken Welch,” the second narrator states. “Ken Welch never quits standing strong for St. Pete.”

Adrienne Bogen, Chair of St. Petersburg Progress, explained the ad in a news release.

“Forbes didn’t call Charlie Crist the ‘worst governor in America’ for nothing — on his watch, we lost jobs by the thousands, watched him tack on $2 billion in new taxes, and then he pushed a property tax scheme that gutted local budgets. St. Pete deserves better than a career politician just trying to pretend none of that happened and buy his way into another elected office,” Bogen said.

The campaign presented several other criticisms of Crist’s tenure as Governor, including state revenue declines during the Great Recession, criticism of property tax changes backed during his administration and law enforcement concerns tied to local budget cuts.

Jonathan Vazquez, President of the Sun Coast Police Benevolent Association (SCPBA), said first responders are supporting Welch because of his relationship with public safety agencies and his handling of city issues. The SCPBA was among the first organizations to endorse Welch’s campaign for re-election.

“First responders are proud to stand with Mayor Ken Welch. He understands the challenges facing our departments, has been here moving the city forward, and brings the vision St. Pete needs in this moment. Ken Welch is a strong partner we can count on to keep delivering for us,” Vazquez said.

The ad lands during a stretch in which Crist’s campaign and allies have also been active on the airwaves.

The St. Petersburg Progress ad was posted to YouTube on Wednesday, one day before Crist’s campaign published an ad featuring St. Petersburg Democratic Sen. Darryl Rouson — a longtime Democratic leader in St. Petersburg and the city’s Black community — saying he intends to vote for Crist after previously endorsing both Crist and Welch.

Rouson had praised both men while leaving his final voting decision unresolved. But in Crist’s ad, he said elections ultimately require a choice and publicly committed to voting for Crist.

Crist has also benefited from messaging from St. Pete Shines, the political committee backing his campaign. A recent ad from the committee leveraged generative artificial intelligence footage to resurface a Tampa Bay Times report finding that Welch swiped his keycard into City Hall on 34% of workdays during his first eight months in office. Another St. Pete Shines ad targeted Welch over his decision to reject a proposed Moffitt Cancer Center campus downtown.

The dueling ads mark the final stretch of the Mayoral campaign before the Aug. 18 election. Welch and Crist face a field that also includes former Shore Acres Neighborhood Association President Kevin Batdorf, City Council Member Brandi Gabbard, former Fire Chief Jim Large and community advocate Maria Scruggs. The race moves on to a November runoff if no candidate crosses the 50% threshold.

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Ed. note: Michelle Todd Schorsch is the Chair of St. Pete Shines, a political committee backing Crist for St. Petersburg Mayor. Todd Schorsch is married to Peter Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics.