Darryl Rouson backs ‘independent spirit’ Mike Harting to ‘bridge the divide’ on St. Pete City Council

State Sen. Darryl Rouson has endorsed business owner Mike Harting in his bid for St. Petersburg City Council in District 3. 

Harting seeks to replace outgoing City Council member Ed Montanari, the Board’s only registered Republican. Harting is registered without party affiliation.

“I happily endorse Mike Harting for St. Petersburg City Council, District 3. Mike Harting represents the best of the small business entrepreneurial spirit of St Petersburg,” Rouson said. “Mike has founded several businesses here in St. Petersburg and now operates one of the largest breweries in Florida. Mike will be an independent spirit on the City Council; as an independent, Mike can truly bridge the divide and restore civility and unity to our City Council.”

The brewery opened in 2013 as a small 1,600-square-foot tasting room. It has grown into a massive operation with several tasting rooms, event and concert space, and a much larger brewery footprint. The brewery serves more than 250,000 patrons annually.

Harting and his wife, Leigh, are co-owners of 3 Daughters Brewing in the Grand Central District. The Hartings have opened another tasting room in Clearwater and have an airport location at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. And they’ve grown beyond beer, too, now serving and selling at every major retailer, amusement park, liquor store and most restaurants throughout Florida, everything from craft brews to canned cocktails, energy drinks and nonalcoholic beverages.

“I’m excited to earn the support of State Sen. Darryl Rouson,” Harting said. “Sen. Rouson understands the importance of setting aside partisan differences and working across the aisle to get things done for our community. Our community is better off for his leadership in the state Senate, and I look forward to working together to secure prosperity and opportunity for future generations in St. Pete.”

3 Daughters Brewery is known throughout St. Pete for its tasty beverages and lively entertainment venues and as a charitable beacon. The company has worked with over 150 local charity projects yearly, including a line of kid’s beverages served with the “Men in the Making” program in Pinellas County School.

3 Daughters was also one of the first in the nation to utilize its production facility to make and distribute — for free — hand sanitizer during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when stores were struggling to keep commercial products on shelves.

Harting wants to bring his business success to the city government. His platform centers on fiscal responsibility while reducing city taxes and fees to help with ongoing affordability issues plaguing areas like St. Pete and beyond. He also wants to focus on working with employers to ensure residents have access to good-paying jobs and to streamline government regulations to attract new job creators. He is also running on a pledge to improve the city’s aging infrastructure.

Harting has lived in St. Pete since 1977. He attended Shore Acres Elementary after his Vietnam veteran father was assigned to MacDill Air Force Base.

Harting is a graduate of the University of Florida and, after moving back home to St. Pete, began a fruitful career as a joint venture partner for Outback and later a partner in Bella Brava on Beach Drive.

He’s enjoying backing from those across the political spectrum. While the job is nonpartisan, meaning candidates’ political affiliations won’t appear on the ballot, the district favors the GOP, with 8,941 registered Republican voters to just 7,066 registered Democrats. Another nearly 6,000 voters are registered without party affiliation.

The endorsement from Rouson, a moderate Democrat, comes after St. Pete City Council member Gina Driscoll, also a moderate Democrat, endorsed Harting earlier this month. Harting, in March, earned support from former Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Republican. 

Harting faces a crowded field, including restaurateur Pete Boland, a Republican; progressive Nick Carey; Democrat Juan Lopez; and Barry Rubin, a Democrat running as a conservative.