Former Gov. Charlie Crist is rolling out a slate of Democratic endorsements in the St. Petersburg Mayor’s race as his campaign gains steam against Mayor Ken Welch.

Though the mayoral race is technically nonpartisan, most of the major candidates, including fundraising front-runners Crist and Welch, are known Democrats. The endorsements help Crist show support from across the party at a time when he is trying to chip away at Welch’s base and present himself as the strongest alternative to the incumbent.

The list, branded as “Democratic Leaders for Crist,” includes U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, former U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, former U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, state Sen. Darryl Rouson, former state Rep. Ben Diamond, former Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary and state Rep. Frank Peterman, Tampa City Council Member Charlie Miranda, former St. Petersburg City Council Chair Leslie Curran, former St. Petersburg City Council Member James “Jim” Kennedy, former Miami Mayor and former Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, former Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Mike Hamby, Educated We Stand President Karla Hernández-Mats, and former Florida Democratic Party Chair Bob Poe.

Several of the local names could carry particular weight. Rouson and Peterman give Crist support from figures with ties to St. Petersburg’s Black community, a critical voting bloc in a race against Welch, who is the city’s first Black Mayor. Peterman, a faith leader, could help Crist reach church and community networks, while Curran and Kennedy bring support from former City Council members familiar with City Hall who remain influential voices among local political and civic circles.

Rouson’s inclusion comes with nuance. The longtime St. Petersburg lawmaker has also endorsed Welch and said he is not backing away from that support. However, his dual endorsement goes out of its way to give Crist a boost, even if Rouson has not broken from the incumbent Mayor’s ranks entirely.

The endorsement rollout comes as Crist has built a clear financial advantage in the race. His campaign account raised nearly $71,000 from April 1 through June 12, more than triple Welch’s nearly $23,000 haul during the same period and more than any other candidate in the field. 

The gap widens at the political committee level. Crist’s political committee, St. Pete Shines, also raised just over $282,500 from April through May and has brought in nearly $1.5 million since launching. 

Welch’s political committee, St. Petersburg Progress, reported about $114,000 raised in its most recent filing and about $301,000 since launching.

That money is already helping shape the race. St. Pete Shines began circulating a new ad this week centered on a Tampa Bay Times report that Welch swiped into City Hall on 34% of workdays during his first eight months in office. The spot uses that figure to revive broader criticism of Welch’s leadership.

It follows an earlier St. Pete Shines digital ad criticizing Welch’s decision to walk away from a proposed Moffitt Cancer Center campus in downtown St. Petersburg. The ad criticized Welch for a missed opportunity to bring cancer care closer to city residents.

Crist, a former Governor and Congressman, is running against Welch, former Shore Acres Neighborhood Association President Kevin Batdorf City Council Member Brandi Gabbard, former Fire Chief Jim Large, and community advocate Maria Scruggs.

The Primary is Aug. 18. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to a Nov. 3 runoff.

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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 Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics.