Kelly Hayes
Incumbent Brandi Gabbard is hosting her campaign kick-off on Monday for the District 2 seat on the St. Petersburg City Council.
The event will take place at Rec Dec, at 380 105th Terrace NE, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Gabbard will be joined by several members of the Council, including Council Chair Ed Montanari and Council Vice Chair Gina Driscoll, who is also running for reelection. Largo City Commissioner Micheal Smith will also be at the event.
Gabbard faces business owner Kyle Hall in the District 2 race. The two will go head-to-head in the Nov. 2 General Election.
The Democratic incumbent so far leads the race in fundraising, with Hall getting a late start. Gabbard has raised a total of $17,922 since launching her campaign. Hall has yet to put out a finance report after filing to run in May.
The Democratic incumbent was first elected to the City Council in 2017. Democrats currently have a 6-2 majority on the dais, with the only Republicans serving being Montanari and Robert Blackmon, who is throwing his hat in the city’s mayoral race.
Gabbard previously endorsed Montanari in his 2019 election, and she often winds up on the same side of issues, typically on issues of property rights. She recently offered dissent for a local historic designation measure for the Driftwood Neighborhood in Old Southeast. Gabbard is a Realtor by trade.
Gabbard has worked for Smith and Associates Real Estate for 14 years, and she was named Pinellas County Realtor of the Year in 2015. She moved to St. Pete in 2003 from Indiana.
The district covers parts of northeast St. Pete.
