A photograph of State Senator Darryl Rouson, Dr. Tonjua Williams, and Mayor Ken Welch seated together at the SPC Gibbs Campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, on September 29, 2023. On the left, Sen. Darryl Rouson sits with hands clasped, wearing a short-sleeve white polo shirt and blue jeans. In the center, Dr. Tonjua Williams smiles broadly, wearing a dark suit, glasses, and a necklace, while holding a dark folder. On the right, Mayor Ken Welch looks off-camera to the left, wearing a grey suit jacket, a white button-down shirt, a bright red tie, and glasses, with documents resting on their lap. The three individuals are seated on blue padded chairs against a plain white wall, with a Florida state flag partially visible in the background.(L-R) Sen. Darryl Rouson, Dr. Tonjua Williams, and Mayor Ken Welch (R) at SPC Gibbs Campus in St. Petersburg, Florida on Sept. 29, 2023. Credit: cityofstpete / Flickr

Less than a month after making headlines for endorsing both leading candidates in St. Petersburg’s mayoral race, outgoing state Senator Darryl Rouson has changed course.

Rouson announced Thursday that he is rescinding his endorsement of incumbent Mayor Ken Welch and is now exclusively backing former Gov. Charlie Crist ahead of the Aug. 18 primary.

The move comes just weeks after Rouson first endorsed Welch before clarifying later that same day that he would also be endorsing Crist.

“While I have not made my final decision for who I will be voting for mayor, I believe Charlie Crist meets the threshold to lead our city. Let me be clear that I’m not withdrawing my endorsement of my friend Ken Welch, but I believe that both Ken and Charlie should make it out of the primary, and that is why I’m adding an endorsement of Charlie Crist,” Rouson told WUSF last month.

In a video posted today, Rouson said elections come down to a choice.

“And when I fill out my mail in ballot I must pick one, my choice to lead the city next year and the years to follow is the one I know will take St. Pete to the furthest and that choice is Charlie Crist,” he added.

The reversal comes at a pivotal moment in a race only six weeks from Election day.

Recent polling, conducted before Rouson’s exclusive endorsement of Crist, showed the former Florida Governor building momentum and Welch’s support shrinking. The June 29-30 St. Pete Polls survey found Crist leading the race with 28% voter support, up about five points since March, while Welch had fallen to about 15% support. 

With more than one in four voters still undecided and no candidate currently close to the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff in the nonpartisan election, Rouson’s endorsement could carry significant weight in the final weeks before the primary.

Rouson’s endorsement could be especially impactful because of his longstanding influence in South St. Petersburg. A former president of the St. Petersburg NAACP, Rouson has represented parts of Pinellas County in Tallahassee for nearly two decades becoming the longest active serving member of the Florida legislature.  

With Rouson now fully aligned behind Crist, one of the city’s most influential political voices has shifted his support away from the incumbent just weeks before voters begin deciding who will lead St. Petersburg for the next four years.

St. Pete’s mayoral election wraps up on Election Day, Tuesday Aug. 18 with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early Voting happens Aug. 8-16. The deadline to request a mail ballot is Aug. 6 at 5 p.m.

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This article appears in July 09 – 15, 2026.

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