Charlie Justice is all-in for re-election to Pinellas County Commission

Image via Charlie Justice

Pinellas County Commissioner Charlie Justice is seeking re-election, he announced Monday.

The Democrat represents District 3, including parts of west St. Pete and Lealman, though his seat is elected countywide. In a campaign announcement, Justice pointed to “a scorecard of successes” and wrote that he was “looking forward to new opportunities.”

“I am incredibly proud of the partnerships we’ve built and the successes we’ve achieved in Pinellas County,” Justice said. “We’ve rejected the partisan extremism like we see in Washington and Tallahassee that just stands in the way of getting things done. Due to strong leadership, we are seeing improvements made in every corner of Pinellas from Tarpon Springs to Tierra Verde.”

Justice is touting his work on protecting beaches and local estuaries, as well as preserving green space, investing in infrastructure, and making public safety a priority. He said there has been a 59% decline in serious crime countywide.

Justice also boasts work to consistently balance the county’s budget and lowering residents’ millage rate.

“We are working with our city partners, local businesses and community organizations to keep Pinellas County the best place to grow up, work, raise your family and retire,” Justice said.

Justice is hosting a public campaign kick-off event Nov. 8 at Grand Central Brewhouse.

His re-election announcement comes as a community activist known for ruffling feathers among local elected officials is running to unseat him. Vincent Nowicki, a Republican, announced his bid for Justice’s seat in early July.

While Nowicki ran for St. Pete Mayor in 2021, the conservative activist is perhaps best known for his efforts to hold local elected officials accountable. His personal investigation into former St. Pete City Council member Lisa Wheeler-Bowman led to her resignation in September. Nowicki hired a private investigator, who uncovered Wheeler-Bowman was residing outside her district.

He also filed an unsuccessful ethics complaint against Mayor Ken Welch over his appointment of James Corbett as City Development Administrator.

Nowicki said he has also filed a complaint with the IRS against Allendale United Methodist Church, a congregation led by progressive activist Andy Oliver, arguing the church is involved in political campaigns and political fundraising, which would make it ineligible for tax exemption as a religious institution.

The race is likely to be competitive. Republicans now hold a nearly 20,000 voter advantage in Pinellas County, with 245,003 voters to just 226,063 Democrats. That’s a sizable lead, especially considering Republicans historically turn out in greater numbers than Democrats. It also means no-party or third-party voters will play a big role in election outcomes next year. There are nearly 193,000 voters not affiliated with a major party.

Democrats lost ground on the County Commission in the 2022 cycle, with Pat Gerard losing her seat and Republicans claiming a 4-3 advantage. They are now looking to expand that advantage, with Republicans running against Justice and in the open race for countywide District 1, which Democrat Janet Long is vacating.

It’s widely believed that if the GOP picks up either seat it will be next to impossible for Democrats to win back their advantage in less than 10 years. If they manage to keep both seats blue, party operatives are hopeful the pendulum will swing back in Democrats’ favor within the next two or three election cycles.

Justice narrowly held onto his seat the last time he was up for re-election, with barely more than 50% of the vote against GOP challenger Tammy Sue Vasquez. The county has only gotten more conservative since then, setting up a tall task for Justice.