Drew Wilson
House District 69 candidate Jennifer Webb announced in a Thursday email that she had earned endorsements from 20 local Democratic leaders in her campaign to take over for exiting Republican Rep. Kathleen Peters.
“Today I’m proud to announce that I have received 20 endorsements from some of my favorite people representing our beautiful community,” she said. “I’m humbled and energized by the groundswell of support I’ve received from our supporters in the first two months of our campaign.”
Webb is the only Democrat running to take over for Peters, who is leaving the Florida House before she hits term limits in order to run for a seat on the Pinellas County Commission.
Webb picked up endorsements from commissioners representing Redington Beach, St. Pete Beach, Largo, and Gulfport, as well as several St. Petersburg City Council members, including Steve Kornell, Karl Nurse, Lisa Wheeler-Bowman, Amy Foster and Darden Rice.
“As the former Chair of the St Pete City Council I have witnessed first-hand Jennifer Webb to be a fierce friend and advocate for protecting our waterways and our drinking water, the environment, and investing in our infrastructure,” Rice said. “Jennifer will fight in Tallahassee to get things done for all the citizens of District 69. I fully endorse Jennifer Webb to be our next State Representative.”
Webb, a Gulfport resident, is running against two Republicans in the HD 69 race: Jeremy Bailie and Raymond Blacklidge.
Through November, Webb had about $20,400 in her campaign account, while Bailie had about $23,500 and Blacklidge led the pack with more than $50,000 in the bank. He has also been in the race the longest, having filed in June, while Webb filed at the beginning of November and Bailie filed on Sept. 1.
Webb ran for the seat last year but lost to Peters 57-43 on Election Day. She has a much better shot of winning without an incumbent standing in her way.
House District 69 covers the south Pinellas beach communities from Redington Shores to Fort DeSoto, as well as portions of St. Petersburg, Gulfport, Kenneth City, and Pinellas Park.
With 36 percent of the district’s voter registration, Republicans maintain a slight lead over the Democrats’ 35 percent. Independents and minor parties make up 29 percent of the district.
