St. Petersburg Mayoral Candidate Brandi Gabbard (C) attends a No Kings protest last month. (Photo via Gabbard\u2019s campaign Facebook)<\/p>\n
ST. PETERSBURG | Mayoral candidate Brandi Gabbard<\/a> says St. Petersburg \u201cshould be a leader\u201d in the \u201cfight\u201d against a new law targeting local support for diversity, equity and inclusion.<\/p>\n Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1134 into law April 22<\/a>. Set to go into effect in January 2027, it\u2019s been deemed the \u201cAnti-Diversity in Local Government\u201d bill by Equality Florida<\/a>.<\/p>\n LGBTQ+ advocates say it could impact celebrations like Pride \u2014 including in St. Petersburg, which hosts the largest in Florida<\/a> \u2014 prohibiting counties and municipalities \u201cfrom funding or promoting or taking official action\u201d relating to DEI. It will also bar inclusion officers and give the state government the power to remove local officials who are deemed to violate the law.<\/p>\n Gabbard is a current St. Petersburg city councilmember and a longtime LGBTQ+ ally. She formally launched her mayoral campaign this month in a challenge to incumbent Mayor Ken Welch<\/a>. He vowed to protect the LGBTQ+ community when he filed for reelection in February<\/a>.<\/p>\n Joining Equality Florida and other elected officials<\/a> across the state, Welch publicly condemned SB 1134 prior to its passage. He also signaled a potential legal challenge to the measure.<\/p>\n Watermark Out News reached out to Welch\u2019s office following DeSantis\u2019 signing of SB 1134 for additional comment and will update this story should it be received. Gabbard publicly addressed the matter April 24.<\/p>\n \u201cSt. Petersburg is a city defined by its people and its environment; as Mayor, I will never allow outside politics to dictate how we care for either,\u201d she shared via social media. \u201cWhile Tallahassee may ban words and target local government policies, they cannot change our commitment to ensuring every resident\u2014regardless of their race or whom they love\u2014has an equal seat at the table and a safe place to call home.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will never back down from doing what is right,\u201d she continued. \u201cMy focus remains on putting people first, defending our right to solve our own problems, protecting our environment, and standing firm in the belief that our city is strongest when everyone is included.\u201d<\/p>\n Gabbard added that she is \u201cconfident that this infringement will not withstand a legal challenge,\u201d adding that \u201cSt Pete should be a leader in this fight!\u201d She noted that as an American, \u201cit should still be my right to speak my conscience without fear of retaliation\u201d but that \u201cin Florida, that right is becoming less protected every day.\u201d<\/p>\n The mayoral candidate closed her statement by encouraging supporters to vote.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a human being, I fundamentally believe in an equitable playing field that uplifts every corner of our community,\u201d she shared. \u201cMy experience has shown that a diverse mix of voices strengthens us, while true inclusion ensures no one is left behind by progress. Now more than ever, we must elect leaders who possess both a steadfast moral compass and a vision that encompasses us all. If you want to change this, GET OUT AND VOTE!\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/p>\n Gabbard isn\u2019t the only candidate hoping to become St. Petersburg\u2019s next mayor. As of April 27, high profile contenders include LGBTQ+ ally Charlie Crist<\/a>, the former governor, U.S. representative and more who lost his bid to unseat DeSantis in 2022<\/a>.<\/p>\n The St. Petersburg mayoral primary will be held August 18. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will take place Nov. 3.<\/p>\n For more information about Brandi Gabbard and her mayoral campaign, visit Brandi4StPete.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sign up for the Watermark Out News eNewsletter<\/a> \u00a0and follow us for more: \t
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