Kelly Hayes
The West Central Florida AFL-CIO is backing St. Petersburg City Council candidate Richie Floyd in his bid for the District 8 seat.
The labor union represents 116,000 members in the Tampa Bay area and said in a news release Floyd is “the right choice to move St. Petersburg forward.”
“As a public school teacher, he is someone who looks at his community everyday through the eyes of its youth and recognizes its needs,” Shawn McDonnell, President of the labor union, said in a news release. “He supports community involvement to ensure every St. Petersburg resident has an opportunity for living wage jobs, affordable housing, and a secure economic future. His activism and compassion are undisputed; Richie has the qualities we need to continue to move all of St. Petersburg forward.”
Floyd is a science teacher and community activist with experience in organizing campaigns for a $15 minimum wage and criminal justice reform. He is also an active union member.
“I couldn’t be more proud to have the support of organized labor,” Floyd said. “As a union member myself, I know that working people are the heart and soul of our community, and I look forward to advocating for their interests throughout this campaign and beyond.”
Floyd has so far shown a promising campaign financially, currently leading the fundraising race against his opponent, optometrist Dane Kuplicki. In addition to having the highest fundraising month, Floyd had 428 donors — more than twice the amount of any other campaign in the city so far.
A third candidate, Jamie Mayo, filed to run on April 30.
The candidates have all filed to run for the seat currently held by Amy Foster, who is facing term limits. Foster has served on the Council since being elected in 2013.
District 8 borders the west side of I-275, north of south St. Pete including the historic Kenwood neighborhood.
