David Leatherwood withdraws from Pinellas County Commission race

David Leatherwood, a Republican who entered the District 3 race for Pinellas County Commission to challenge incumbent Democrat Charlie Justice, has withdrawn from the race less than one month after he entered. 

“Today, I have made the decision to withdraw my campaign for Pinellas County Commission,” Leatherwood wrote on Facebook late Monday night. 

Leatherwood is an influencer known for his conservative activism, particularly on his Instagram account, where he goes by the name “Brokeback Patriot.”

That’s a nod to the film “Brokeback Mountain” about two closeted gay men living in Montana at a time and in a place where they would not be accepted. Leatherwood is a gay Republican. His Instagram account features several posts criticizing gay activism, including the use of the rainbow flag to celebrate gay pride.

Leatherwood entered the race the day qualifying ended for the District 3 race as a Republican aiming to challenge incumbent Democrat Justice. He faced fellow Republican Vincent Nowicki at the ballot box in the GOP Primary. 

If he follows through with his announcement, his departure will mean Nowicki will once again be unopposed in the Primary and free to take on Justice in the November General Election.

Leatherwood offered few details about his decision, noting that he entered the race “a deeply concerned voter.” 

He said he will continue to be “a vocal advocate for my neighbors who have shared their stories and struggles with me in the past few weeks.” He backed “Republican policies” in his announcement, arguing they are the route to “improve the lives of residents.”

“I will continue to be vocal about the policies that will build a stronger Pinellas County,” Leatherwood said. 

Leatherwood entered the race as a candidate steeped in the pro-Donald Trump camp, garnering initial support from Roger Stone, a Republican lobbyist and consultant who worked closely with the former President and who was charged and convicted of seven felonies relating to the Special Counsel investigation by Robert Mueller regarding Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election. Trump later pardoned Stone, commuting his 40-month prison sentence.

Ric Grenell, who served as Acting Director of National Intelligence, U.S. Ambassador to Germany and Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations in Trump’s administration, also endorsed Leatherwood.

Two years ago, Leatherwood was featured in a Tampa Bay Times article that spotlighted MAGA influencers flocking to Florida to chase “political clout and connections.”

Leatherwood’s past has been troubled, with a DUI conviction in Hillsborough County in 2011 for an offense that occurred in late 2010 and a series of domestic troubles between Leatherwood and a past partner, which, on one occasion, resulted in being trespassed from all Disney properties in 2016. In that situation – the case was ultimately dropped – Leatherwood’s former partner accused him of striking him in the head with a closed fist at the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza near Orlando.

He attracted what Democrats often refer to as the “MAGA base,” a reference to Trump’s slogan “Make America Great Again.”

YouTuber Benny Johnson, who has been accused several times of plagiarism and promoting conspiracy theories, has endorsed Leatherwood. He has more than 2 million subscribers on YouTube. His videos include pro-conservative messaging as well as anti-Democrat videos that often depict leading figures in the party as zombies with red eyes or in other visually manipulated ways.

Other backers include former Young Republican National Chair Rick Loughery, St. Pete conservative community leader Deveron Gibbons, Jacksonville City Council member Rory Diamond and Tampa Bay Young Republicans President Brittany Jean.

Former St. Pete City Council member Robert Blackmon recently rescinded his endorsement for Nowicki in favor of Leatherwood, citing personal attacks on Leatherwood directly related to him being gay.

His departure from the race is good news for Nowicki, who will now enter the General Election without opposition. 

Republicans now hold a nearly 20,000-voter registration advantage in Pinellas County, with 245,003 voters to just 226,063 Democrats. That’s a sizable lead, especially considering that Republicans historically turn out in more significant numbers than Democrats. While Justice’s seat includes parts of west St. Pete and Lealman, it is elected countywide.

The GOP voter registration advantage also means that no-party or third-party voters will play a big role in election outcomes next year. Nearly 193,000 voters are not affiliated with a major party.

Democrats lost ground on the County Commission in the 2022 cycle, with 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 the Democrats’ favor within the subsequent 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.