St. Petersburg Mayoral Candidate Brandi Gabbard (C) attends a No Kings protest last month. (Photo via Gabbard’s campaign Facebook)
ST. PETERSBURG | Mayoral candidate Brandi Gabbard says St. Petersburg “should be a leader” in the “fight” against a new law targeting local support for diversity, equity and inclusion.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed SB 1134 into law April 22. Set to go into effect in January 2027, it’s been deemed the “Anti-Diversity in Local Government” bill by Equality Florida.
LGBTQ+ advocates say it could impact celebrations like Pride — including in St. Petersburg, which hosts the largest in Florida — prohibiting counties and municipalities “from funding or promoting or taking official action” 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.
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. He vowed to protect the LGBTQ+ community when he filed for reelection in February.
Joining Equality Florida and other elected officials across the state, Welch publicly condemned SB 1134 prior to its passage. He also signaled a potential legal challenge to the measure.
Watermark Out News reached out to Welch’s office following DeSantis’ signing of SB 1134 for additional comment and will update this story should it be received. Gabbard publicly addressed the matter April 24.
“St. 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,” she shared via social media. “While Tallahassee may ban words and target local government policies, they cannot change our commitment to ensuring every resident—regardless of their race or whom they love—has an equal seat at the table and a safe place to call home.
“We will never back down from doing what is right,” she continued. “My 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.”
Gabbard added that she is “confident that this infringement will not withstand a legal challenge,” adding that “St Pete should be a leader in this fight!” She noted that as an American, “it should still be my right to speak my conscience without fear of retaliation” but that “in Florida, that right is becoming less protected every day.”
The mayoral candidate closed her statement by encouraging supporters to vote.
“As a human being, I fundamentally believe in an equitable playing field that uplifts every corner of our community,” she shared. “My 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!”
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Gabbard isn’t the only candidate hoping to become St. Petersburg’s next mayor. As of April 27, high profile contenders include LGBTQ+ ally Charlie Crist, the former governor, U.S. representative and more who lost his bid to unseat DeSantis in 2022.
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.
For more information about Brandi Gabbard and her mayoral campaign, visit Brandi4StPete.com.
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