Janelle Irwin Taylor
The Suncoast Police Benevolent Association endorsed two candidates Tuesday for St. Petersburg City Council.
The pro-police group backs Copley Gerdes in District 1 in his race to replace City Council member Robert Blackmon who is not seeking reelection to run for Mayor.
The PBA endorsement should come as little surprise; Gerdes serves on the Police Athletic League Board and has made public safety a key part of his campaign platform.
“Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe,” Gerdes said in a message to supporters. “I want to make sure they have the support they need to be safe and keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“I’m so honored to accept the endorsement of the Suncoast Police Benevolent Association,” Gerdes added. “I want our officers and their families to know how much I truly appreciate their sacrifice and how much it means to have your support in this race. When we bring communities together, there’s no limit to what we can achieve for our city.”
Gerdes is seeking the same seat his dad, Charlie Gerdes, held for two consecutive terms before Blackmon. He faces fellow Democrat John Hornbeck, who ran unsuccessfully for the seat two years ago, Republican Bobbie Shay Lee, a lobbyist and former cheerleader for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Republican Ed Carlson, a retired Air Force Captain.
Gerdes recently nabbed an endorsement from incumbent Mayor Rick Kriseman.
The local PBA also endorsed Democrat Lisset Hanewicz for the District 4 seat.
“I’m so grateful to earn the endorsement of our law enforcement community,” Hanewicz said. “As a former prosecutor, I understand the importance and difficulty of their work.”
Hanewicz served as a prosecutor in Pinellas County, handling cases ranging from fraud to crimes against children and murder. She frequently worked with law enforcement and has continued that relationship as the Crescent Lake Neighborhood Association President with community police officers who partner with neighborhoods to solve community issues.
“As neighborhood president, I’ve brought officers and residents together to share information and build trust,” Hanewicz said. “As our Councilmember, I’ll continue that work and make sure our officers have the resources to be innovative in meeting the needs of the community and building a stronger St. Petersburg.”
Hanewicz has served as president of the Crescent Lake Neighborhood Association since 2016. She also brings a timely component to the District 4 race as the child of Cuban exiles. Her family fled the Castro regime in the late 1960s. Protests are ongoing in Cuba over the island nation’s repressive regime. Nationwide, people rally in support of those demonstrations, which the Cuban government is trying to repress.
If elected, Hanewicz would be the first Hispanic member of the St. Petersburg City Council.
She faces four opponents for the District 4 seat — Jarib Figueredo, Clifford Hobbs, Tom Mullins and Douglas O’Dowd.
