As St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch prepares to seek a second term, some political observers have questioned whether his first four years delivered enough progress to merit re-election.

Longtime community leaders like Rep. Michele Rayner , Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers and Rev. J.C. Pritchett say the answer is already clear: No other candidate brings the same mix of lived experience, policy acumen and unshakable commitment to the city’s underserved neighborhoods as Welch.

Elected in 2021 as the city’s first Black Mayor, Welch came into office with a sweeping promise to build an inclusive St. Pete. His agenda emphasized affordable housing, equity and the long-delayed redevelopment of the Historic Gas Plant District — the once-thriving Black neighborhood razed i

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