Welch, Blackmon Heading For St. Pete Run-Off Mayoral Debate

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — The two candidates seeking to replace St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman will engage a debate next week as the pair heads for the finish line ahead of next month’s general election.

The debate between former Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch and Robert Blackmon, the St. Petersburg councilman, was originally scheduled to take place in September but was postponed.

The debate is now scheduled for 7 p.m. on Oct. 11 and will be held at the USF-St. Petersburg campus and sponsored by the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, WFLA reported.The two candidates are vying to replace Kriseman, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits.

The city’s new mayor will be sworn in on Jan. 6, 2022, following the Nov. 3 election.

In the August primary election, Welch and Blackmon collected the most votes with Welch securing 39.1 percent of the votes across the county and Blackmon, grabbing 28.25 percent, according to Vote Pinellas.

"I'm ready to rock, guys," Blackmon said after hearing the results in August. "But it's not going to be easy. I need for everybody who's been there to be there for me again."

Welch, who had roughly 6,000 votes more than Blackmon in the crowded race, would be the city's first Black mayor if elected.

"The voters of St. Pete have spoken, and I am deeply honored to be headed into November's runoff election," Welch said.

A total of 55,346 people voted in the August primary.