Ken Welch touts experience in first General Election ad, ‘Homework’

St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch has released his first General Election ad touting his experience as a former Pinellas County Commissioner.

The 30-second clip, titled “Homework,” is set to run on digital platforms and television.

The video features Welch working at a desk, school supplies spread across the table, while a narrator promotes the candidate’s experience dealing with local issues including red tide, infrastructure and affordable housing.

“On the big issues facing St. Pete ⁠— Red Tide and our environment, fixing water and sewer issues, having affordable places to live ⁠— Ken Welch does his homework,” the narrator says in the ad.

The video continues by flashing testimonials in the Tampa Bay Times’ printed recommendation for Welch, along with clips of the candidate interacting with St. Pete residents.

“As Commissioner, Ken Welch led on affordable housing and the environment. As Mayor, Welch will tackle sewage discharges, work to combat red tide and create new affordable housing,” the narrator continues, adding that welch is “doing his homework to make St. Pete a great city that works for everyone.”

This is the first video advertisement put out by either mayoral candidate in the General Election race, which includes Welch and City Council member Robert Blackmon.

The race is heating up as Election Day approaches Nov. 2.

Although the mayoral race is nonpartisan — candidates’ political affiliations don’t appear on the ballot — it’s no secret where they align, especially when looking at endorsers.

The partisan nature of the election puts Blackmon at disadvantage. Among the city’s nearly 190,000 registered voters, more than 88,000 are Democrats while fewer than 50,000 are Republicans, according to the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections. And a new poll reflects that disadvantage, with Blackmon trailing Welch 17 points.