Q&A: Meet Gabriel Hament, St. Pete City Council District 2 Candidate

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Voters in the Nov. 3 general election will decide between Gabriel Hament and Courtney Bermudez in the race for the St. Pete City Council District 2 seat.

District 2 represents northeastern neighborhoods of St. Petersburg.

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Patch sent a questionnaire to both candidates. Below are Hament's unedited responses.

• Name: Gabriel Hament

• Office Sought: St. Petersburg City Council, District 2
• Political Party Affiliation: This is a non-partisan seat.
• Age: 34
• City or Town of Residence: St. Petersburg, FL
• Education: BA and JD, University of Florida
• Occupation: Assistant Public Defender
• Family Background: My mom is originally from Cyprus with her first language as Greek. My dad is from Baltimore and grew up traveling the country and world while my grandfather served in the Air Force (WWII and Korean War). They moved to Florida in 1992. My mom is a realtor and my dad is a retired attorney.

• Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I am the first person in my family to get involved in local government and elective office.

• Previous public office, appointive or elective:

Prior to entering law school, I was appointed to my school district's Financial Advisory Committee where I monitored the district's fixed income reserve accounts (~$50MM) and ensured the proceeds from the voter-authorized additional 1-mil in ad valorem taxes were allocated in alignment with the voters' intent. (higher teacher pay, 30 minutes of extra instructional time per day, school security, STEM and arts programming)

• Campaign website and social media:

Website

Facebook

• Why are you seeking this office?

I am running to make St. Petersburg the best city in Florida—and in the country. Local government is where we will create policies and solutions to tackle the cost-of-living crisis, climate change and associated extreme weather events, and foster an environment where all people feel included. I do not see Tallahassee or Washington developing a focused vision for these critical issues. Cities will lead the conversation on cost-of-living, infrastructure resilience, and civil rights—Tallahassee and Washington will follow.

• What sets you apart from the other candidates seeking this post?

I will draw on three areas of my background to make sound decisions on the Council: (i) legal, (ii) financial, and (iii) volunteer service on a government advisory board. As an assistant public defender, I ensure the Constitutional rights of the most vulnerable members of our community are protected. I have also worked as an investment advisor to nonprofits as well as served on my school district's financial advisory committee.

• What issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Our campaign is focused on (i) storm preparedness and infrastructure hardening, (ii) expanding economic opportunity and bringing down the cost of living in areas where municipal policy can make an impact—specifically housing, and (iii) protecting St. Pete's culture of inclusivity.

• What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As an attorney serving as an assistant public defender, I manage a caseload of 100 cases. Each of my clients is facing incarceration. These are high-stakes situations in which the liberty interest of a member of our community is in jeopardy. I know how to advocate on behalf of others and hold power to account—I do it every day battling the State of Florida.

Additionally, my legal education and training have equipped me with the knowledge to understand and navigate the complex policy environment in which local ordinances, state and federal law, and administrative rulemaking intersect.

Furthermore, my experience serving as a volunteer member of my school district's financial advisory committee transfers directly to the budgetary and oversight duties of the Council.

• What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

My dad has always impressed upon me—do what's right, legal, and ethical. That advice guides me every day as an attorney, community advocate, and now candidate for City Council.

• Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am running as an openly gay candidate. I will be a strong voice on City Council and push back against this wave of discrimination and bigotry coming out of Tallahassee and Washington. I have been advocating for the protection and expansion of the civil rights of others for my entire adult life. My passion for civic advocacy led me to law school so that I could be equipped with the knowledge and credentials to take the fight for civil rights and equality to the next level.

As a candidate for Council, I have made a diligent effort to avoid any use of artificial intelligence on our campaign. After a full day of court, client meetings, and visiting clients in jail, I take the time to respond to every questionnaire. Furthermore, I drafted our campaign website without the use of artificial intelligence. On all questionnaires I proudly include a disclaimer indicating that I personally drafted the response without the use of artificial intelligence. Since day one of the campaign, adherence to this gold standard of transparency and authenticity has been of paramount importance.