Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announces run for mayor of St. Petersburg

AT 7:00. WE HAVE THREE SEPARATE DEADLY CRASHES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA THIS MORNING, INCLUDING ONE ALONG I-95 THAT SHUT DOWN ALL THE NORTHBOUND LANES. WE’LL TALK ABOUT THE DETOURS STRAIGHT AHEAD AT 7:00. I WAS GETTING DRUNK, BUT I WASN’T. I WAS CAUGHT AND CHAOS BREAKS OUT WITH MORE THAN A THOUSAND TEENS TAKE OVER ICON PARK. WE’RE HEARING EXCLUSIVELY FROM ONE OF THE NINE PEOPLE TAKEN AWAY IN HANDCUFFS. ALSO AHEAD, A NEW PLAN BACKED BY GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS COULD REDRAW U.S. HOUSE DISTRICTS JUST AS LAWMAKERS HEAD INTO A SPECIAL SESSION. WHAT COULD CHANGE TODAY? RACHEL. WE’RE LEARNING NEW INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT LED UP TO THE SHOOTING AT THE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER. I’M RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER AT THE WHITE HOUSE WITH NEW DETAILS ON THE SUSPECTS PLANS. WESH TWO NEWS STARTS NOW WITH BREAKING NEWS, AND WE GOT TO GET TO THAT BREAKING NEWS OUT ON THE ROADS IMPACTING THIS MORNING’S DRIVE. GOOD TUESDAY. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR SUNRISE JASON GUY. AND I’M MEREDITH MCDONOUGH. LET’S GET RIGHT OVER TO TRAFFIC EXPERT MEAGHAN MACKEY MEAGHAN. VERY BUSY MORNING IN DEADLY CRASHES THIS MORNING. YEAH. I-95 IN BREVARD COUNTY IS GOING TO CREATE THE BIGGEST ISSUE FOR DRIVERS. THIS IS IF YOU’RE TRAVELING THE WICKHAM ROAD EXIT. ALL THE LANES HERE ARE SHUT DOWN. YOU CAN SEE ANOTHER CAMERA ANGLE HERE. WE HAVE LEARNED THIS DEADLY CRASH INVOLVING A SEMI TRUCK AND ANOTHER VEHICLE. AND THE DRIVER OF THAT SECOND VEHICLE WAS SADLY PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE. ANOTHER PASSENGER IS TRAPPED IN THAT VEHICLE AND WILL LIKELY BE AIRLIFTED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SOME PRETTY SERIOUS INJURIES. SO SHUT DOWN THEIR NORTHBOUND. IF YOU ARE HEADING OUT THE DOOR IN THIS AREA, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EXIT I-95 IN MELBOURNE, RIGHT AT THE CAUSEWAY AND THEN TRAVEL TO WICKHAM ROAD, BACK UP TO THE I-95 CORRIDOR. SO A BIG DETOUR IN PLACE AND THIS IS LIKELY GOING TO BE SHUT DOWN FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THIS MORNING WE HAVE A SECOND DEADLY CRASH IN MARION COUNTY. THIS ONE’S ALONG MARION OAKS BOULEVARD AT MARION OAKS DRIVE, KIND OF OFF THE MAIN DRAG HERE, BUT THIS IS CONFIRMED TO BE A DEADLY CRASH. WE’LL BE KEEPING OUR EYE ON THAT AS WELL. THERE’S GOING TO BE A DETOUR IN PLACE. THAT DEADLY CRASH WAS AN OSCEOLA COUNTY. IT HAS CLEARED AS OF 6:00 THIS MORNING, SO NO ISSUES HEADING OUT THE DOOR THERE AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY ON THE ROADS, OF COURSE, AND WE DO WANT TO GET A CHECK OF THE WEATHER WITH ERIC FIRST, BECAUSE I DID NOTICE A LOT OF RAIN ALONG THE I-95 CORRIDOR. AND MAN OH MAN, ISN’T THAT JUST THE PROBLEM? PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY MY FRIENDS. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. IT’S BEAUTIFUL WHERE IT’S NOT POURING. ALL RIGHT. HAD SOME EARLY MORNING RAIN. DAYTONA BEACH, NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE. IT IS STUNNING. OUTSIDE. YOU SEE THE DROPLETS ON THE LENS HERE. PORT CANAVERAL FROM OUR TOWER CAM SHOT. AND WHERE IT’S NOT RAINING INLAND. WE’VE GOT THIS CLOUD DECK THAT’S KIND OF HANGING PRETTY LOW IN SPOTS. LET’S GET RIGHT OVER TO OUR FIRST WARNING LIVE RADAR. NO RAIN IN DOWNTOWN, BUT JUST TO THE NORTH AND THEN TO THE EAST. WE’RE WATCHING THESE SHOWERS. FIRST BREVARD, WHERE MEGAN JUST KIND OF PULSING UP AND UP AND UP MORE AND MORE KIND OF BACKFILLING, DEVELOPING OFF THE SHORELINE AND MOVING ON IN. BUT HEAVIER AREAS OF RAIN AROUND MELBOURNE, UP THROUGH ABOUT COCOA BEACH, A LITTLE BIT LIGHTER FOR PORT CANAVERAL PORT, SAINT JOHN MIMS, TITUSVILLE. AND THEN THERE’S THIS BATCH OF SHOWERS MOVING IN, KIND OF FADING FROM SANFORD ACROSS OVER TOWARDS SORRENTO. BUT ANOTHER HEAVIER BATCH WORKING RIGHT OVER THE 417 HERE SHORTLY LAKE JESSUP AND EVENTUALLY WORKING RIGHT TOWARDS SANFORD. THEN THERE’S ALL THE LOW CLOUDS, EVEN AREAS OF FOG FROM ABOUT WEST ORANGE COUNTY ALL THE WAY OVER TOWARD THE GULF. SO THERE’S THAT TEMPERATURES OUT THE DOOR, 50S AND 60S, AND WE’RE ON OUR WAY TO 87 THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS THIS MORNING, BUT THEY TAPER OFF NICELY. WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT FORECAST IN A COUPLE MINUTES. STATE LAWMAKERS ARE NOW JUST HOURS AWAY FROM KICKING OFF A SPECIAL SESSION IN TALLAHASSEE. AT THE CENTER OF THE SESSION, CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING. ON MONDAY, GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS DROPPED A NEW MAP THAT WOULD DRASTICALLY ALTER SEVERAL U.S. HOUSE DISTRICTS ACROSS FLORIDA. WESH TWO GREG FOX IS IN TALLAHASSEE LOOKING AT HOW THAT PROPOSED REDRAWING COULD IMPACT US HERE AT HOME. WE’RE JUST OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND TODAY, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE WILL GAVEL IN FOR THIS SPECIAL SESSION TO ADDRESS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE REDRAWING OF THE DISTRICT MAP AND ALSO TO PASS THREE BILLS. LAWMAKERS ARE POISED TO APPROVE A NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP FROM GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS THAT COULD ADD FOUR MORE REPUBLICAN SEATS FROM THE STATE IN CONGRESS, IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, THAT COULD MEAN DEMOCRATS LOSING DISTRICT NINE AND HANGING ON TO JUST ONE SEAT. DISTRICT TEN IN ORANGE COUNTY, NOW HELD BY MAXWELL FROST, LAVON BRACY DAVIS IS A DEMOCRATIC ORLANDO STATE SENATOR. MID-DECADE REDISTRICTING IS ILLEGAL. IT’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL. WE DON’T HAVE A CENSUS. AND I JUST THINK EVERYTHING THAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS SO OUT OF ORDER. THE GOVERNOR’S ATTORNEY, DAVID AXELMAN, SENT THIS MESSAGE TO HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERSHIP, THE FAIR DISTRICTS AMENDMENTS TO THE FLORIDA CONSTITUTION REQUIRE THE LEGISLATURE TO ACCOUNT FOR RACE WHEN DRAWING CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. BUT THE USE OF RACE IN REDISTRICTING SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. THE HOUSE WILL START TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS AT 10:00 THIS MORNING. THE SENATE AT NOON AGAIN, THE SPECIAL SESSION SCHEDULED TO LAST THROUGH FRIDAY, COVERING THE CAPITOL IN TALLAHASSEE, GREG FOX. FOX WILL BE IN TALLAHASSEE CONTINUING TO COVER THIS SPECIAL SESSION LIVE FROM THERE IN THE DAY AHEAD. JOIN US THIS WEEK FOR OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE FROM THE STATE CAPITOL. 705 NOW, THIS MORNING, WE’RE SEEING EXCLUSIVE VIDEO OF THIS WEEKEND’S TAKEOVER OUT AT ICON PARK. IT’S WILD. DEPUTIES TOOK NINE PEOPLE INTO CUSTODY, THEY SAY. MULTIPLE FIGHTS BROKE OUT RIGHT THERE IN THE HEART OF OUR TOURIST DISTRICT. WESH TWO BOB HAZEN IS LIVE THERE AT ICON PARK FOR US THIS MORNING. AND BOB, ONE TEEN IS CLAIMING A DEPUTY USED EXCESSIVE FORCE. YEAH, HE WAS PART OF ONE OF THE MANY FIGHTS THAT BROKE OUT HERE AT ICON PARK THIS WEEKEND. THE DEPUTY STEPPED IN TO BREAK IT UP, THEN BODY SLAMMED THAT TEENAGER. HE SAYS HE DIDN’T KNOW WHO WAS PICKING HIM UP. HIS HIS NAME. SO I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING JUMPED. THIS VIDEO SHOWS THE TEEN GETTING TAKEN DOWN BY THE DEPUTY. THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS ABOUT 1000 TEENAGERS FILLED THIS PART OF I-DRIVE ICON PARK, CALLING IT A TEEN TAKEOVER. SEVERAL FIGHTS BROKE OUT. SOME WITNESSES TOLD US IT TURNED CHAOTIC WITH FAMILIES AND YOUNG KIDS TAKING COVER FROM THE MAYHEM. NINE TEENAGERS DID GET ARRESTED, RANGING IN AGE FROM 13 DOWN TO 16. ONE OF THOSE TEENS IS TO DATE, HE’S 14. HE’S THE ONE WHO GOT BODY SLAMMED. HIS GRANDMOTHER TOLD US SHE PLANS TO FILE AN EXCESSIVE FORCE COMPLAINT. MY BACK HURT AND MY LEGS STILL HURTING. I’M SURE A MAJORITY OF THE KIDS WHO WENT THERE DIDN’T GO THERE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS, BUT A LOT OF THEM DID. SHERIFF JOHN MINA SAYS TWO DEPUTIES WERE ALSO HURT DURING ALL OF THAT. HE SAYS THEY HAVE HEARD THAT THERE’S ANOTHER TEEN TAKEOVER PLANNED FOR NEXT MONTH, AND HE SAYS THEY’LL BE BRINGING EXTRA DEPUTIES AND PADDY WAGONS DOWN HERE IN CASE THEY HAVE TO MAKE MORE ARRESTS. COVERING ORANGE COUNTY LIVE IN ORLANDO, BOB HAZEN WESH TWO NEWS. NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER SHOOTING. COURT DOCUMENTS OUTLINE HOW THE SUSPECT GOT TO THE HOTEL THAT ALLEGEDLY PLANNED TO CARRY OUT THAT ATTACK. AS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER REPORTS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, THE SHOOTER IS NOW FACING UPGRADED CHARGES. COLE ALLEN IS NOW CHARGED WITH AN ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT AFTER AUTHORITIES SAY HE TRIED TO STORM THE CORRESPONDENCE CENTER AND SHOOT AS MANY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS AS POSSIBLE, ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS. ALLEN RESERVED HIS ROOM EARLIER IN THE MONTH AT THE WASHINGTON HILTON, WHERE THE EVENT WAS BEING HELD. NOW, OFFICIALS SAY HE THEN TRAVELED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY TRAIN FROM CALIFORNIA LAST WEEK AND ARRIVED IN D.C. THE DAY BEFORE THE DINNER. NOW, MOMENTS BEFORE THE ATTACK, THE AFFIDAVIT CLAIMS ALLEN SENT AN EMAIL TO HIS FAMILY AND A FORMER EMPLOYER EXPLAINING WHAT HE WAS ABOUT TO DO. THEN MINUTES LATER, OFFICIALS SAY THE 31 YEAR OLD SPRINTED PAST SECURITY ARMED WITH TWO GUNS AND KNIVES. A SECRET SERVICE AGENT WAS SHOT IN HIS BULLETPROOF VEST AND IS OKAY NOW. ALLEN WAS NEVER SHOT, BUT FELL TO THE GROUND AND WAS LATER ARRESTED BEFORE REACHING THE BALLROOM, WHERE MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE WERE SITTING, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT AND MUCH OF HIS CABINET. MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS WAS AN ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, WITH THE DEFENDANT MAKING CLEAR WHAT HIS INTENT WAS. AND THAT INTENT WAS TO BRING DOWN AS MANY OF THE HIGH RANKING CABINET OFFICIALS AS HE COULD. ALLEN IS FACING TWO ADDITIONAL FIREARM RELATED CHARGES. HE IS SCHEDULED TO BE BACK IN COURT ON THURSDAY FOR A DETENTION HEARING AT THE WHITE HOUSE. I’M RACHEL HIRSCHHEIMER. BACK HERE AT HOME, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE AT THE VILLAGES CHARTER SCHOOL THIS FRIDAY AT 3 P.M. THE SCHOOL IS LOCATED ON DOCTOR RANDY MCDANIEL WAY. WESH TWO WILL BE THERE. THE 23 YEAR OLD IS STILL RECOVERING AFTER BEING HIT BY A JEEP WHILE PLAYING ON THE SAND OVER THE WEEKEND. AND WE’RE GETTING A NEW LOOK AT THE MOMENT. POLICE ARRESTED THE MAN WHO THEY SAY WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL. NO, I HAVEN’T. WELL, I AM GOING TO PLAY TO ARREST FOR SUSPICION OF DUI. OKAY. THEY TELL US THAT’S BROCK WINKLER. THE 36 YEAR OLD WAS ARRESTED SATURDAY AFTER DEPUTIES SAY HE WAS DRUNK BEHIND THE WHEEL WHEN HE HIT THE CHILD. WITNESSES SHARED THIS PICTURE WITH DEPUTIES SHOWING EMPTY BEER CANS UNDER THE JEEP. WINKLER WAS DRIVING. NOW, WINKLER WAS ALREADY FACING A CASE OUT OF POLK COUNTY AFTER INVESTIGATORS SAY HE BROKE INTO HIS EX-WIFE’S HOME JUST TWO WEEKS AGO, THEN BONDED OUT. HE’S NOW FACING A FELONY DUI CHARGE. THE ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ENFORCEMENT HAS DISMANTLED A MAJOR DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE MULTI-AGENCY OPERATION WAS CALLED IT A CALL. IT’S A TRAP. NOW, INVESTIGATORS SAY THAT THE TRAFFICKERS FROM PUERTO RICO USED HIDDEN COMPARTMENTS IN THEIR CARS, KNOWN AS TRAPS, TO MOVE THE COCAINE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. MICHAEL HERNANDEZ MALDONADO AND PAOLA SIERRA WERE IDENTIFIED AS LEADERS. INVESTIGATORS SAY THEIR GROUP LAUNDERED ITS DRUG PROCEEDS THROUGH SHELL COMPANIES. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY RECOVERED MORE THAN SIX KILOS OF COCAINE. MORE THAN $1.1 MILLION IN CASH AND NEARLY 30 GUNS. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT ANY TIME WE TAKE DOWN A DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS AND RECOVER THIS AMOUNT OF COCAINE AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND FIREARMS, CENTRAL FLORIDA AREA IS DEFINITELY SAFER. NOW, THOSE NINE WERE ARRESTED AND ARE FACING MULTIPLE CHARGES. RIGHT NOW, THE FBI IS SEARCHING FOR A MISSING TRUCK DRIVER LAST SEEN IN BREVARD COUNTY. ALEJANDRO CAMINO GONZALEZ PICKED UP SEVERAL CARS IN GEORGIA ON APRIL 16TH. HE WAS HEADING TO MIAMI AND HE PULLED INTO A TRUCK STOP IN BREVARD COUNTY AROUND 1:20 A.M. THE FOLLOWING MORNING, AND GPS DATA FROM THE TRUCK HE WAS DRIVING SHOWS THAT IT WENT NORTH TOWARDS JACKSONVILLE LATER THAT MORNING. FROM THAT POINT ON, NO ONE HAS HEARD FROM HIM. THE TRUCK WAS LATER FOUND IN GEORGIA WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES MISSING FROM THE HAULER. THE FBI SAYS IT’S NOW LOOKING FOR PICTURES OR VIDEOS FROM ANYONE WHO WAS AT THE BREVARD COUNTY REST AREA ON APRIL 17TH, ESPECIALLY NEAR THE I-95 SOUTH. IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING, CALL THE NUMBER. WE PUT IT UP ON YOUR SCREEN. TODAY, THE MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING TWO USF STUDENTS IS BACK IN COURT. THE MAN’S BODY WAS FOUND FRIDAY, AND INVESTIGATORS FOUND HUMAN REMAINS YESTERDAY WHILE SEARCHING FOR NIKITA BRESEE. NOW, THOUGH, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, LEEMAN’S ROOMMATE IS NOW CHARGED IN BOTH DEATHS. FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL JAMES UTHMEIER SAYS HIS OFFICE IS NOW INVESTIGATING OPEN AI, SAYING THE SUSPECT MESSAGED CHATGPT BEFORE AND AFTER THE TWO STUDENTS DISAPPEARED. AT 711. NOW, THE ORLANDO MAGIC ARE ROLLING THIS MORNING. MAN, WHAT A GAME. THEY TOOK IT IN GAME FOUR OF THIS PLAYOFF SERIES. NOW THEY’RE GOING TO DETROIT WITH A CHANCE TO CLOSE IT OUT. HOWEVER,

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announces run for mayor of St. Petersburg

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Updated: 10:21 AM EDT Apr 28, 2026

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Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced he would be running for St. Petersburg mayor.”Well, it’s official. I’m now a candidate for mayor of St. Pete. God bless you all,” Crist said in a video posted to X. Kenneth T. Welch is the current mayor of St. Petersburg.>> Video above: Top headlines for April 24 in Central FloridaAbout Charlie CristCrist was originally born in Pennsylvania, but his family moved to St. Petersburg, where he graduated from high school. In 2006, Crist was elected Florida’s 44th governor. During his tenure as governor, he allocated federal stimulus funds to support the salaries of Florida’s public school teachers and helped address and mitigate environmental damage in the state.He also served as the representative for Florida’s 13th congressional district from 2017 to 2022.In 2016, Crist was elected to the US House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 13th Congressional District, which includes the St. Petersburg–Clearwater area.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. —

Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced he would be running for St. Petersburg mayor.

“Well, it’s official. I’m now a candidate for mayor of St. Pete. God bless you all,” Crist said in a video posted to X.

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Kenneth T. Welch is the current mayor of St. Petersburg.

>> Video above: Top headlines for April 24 in Central Florida

About Charlie Crist

Crist was originally born in Pennsylvania, but his family moved to St. Petersburg, where he graduated from high school.

In 2006, Crist was elected Florida’s 44th governor.

During his tenure as governor, he allocated federal stimulus funds to support the salaries of Florida’s public school teachers and helped address and mitigate environmental damage in the state.

He also served as the representative for Florida’s 13th congressional district from 2017 to 2022.

In 2016, Crist was elected to the US House of Representatives, serving Florida’s 13th Congressional District, which includes the St. Petersburg–Clearwater area.