Janelle Irwin Taylor
Several beach leaders are endorsing Charlie Justice for re-election to the Pinellas County Commission in District 3.
Justice has earned support from Indian Rocks Beach Mayor Denise Houseberg, North Redington Beach Mayor Bill Queen and former Mayors Patrick Soranno of Indian Shores and Cookie Kennedy of Indian Rocks Beach. Kennedy is herself running for the Commission, in District 1. She and Justice are both Democrats.
Justice is facing a challenge from Republican Vince Nowicki in the Nov. 5 General Election.
“If you’re looking for a hardworking, get ‘er done guy to be your Pinellas County Commissioner, count on Charlie Justice as your candidate! He’s smart, dedicated and committed to taking care of people and issues in Pinellas County,” Houseberg said.
Justice said he’s grateful for the “enthusiastic support,” noting that all of his latest endorsers share a home-grown passion for the county’s pristine beaches.
“They know that I grew up here understanding how important our beaches are to our survival — environmentally and economically,” Justice said. “They have grown tired of flash in the pan politicians who tell them what they think they want to hear and then disappear. Our beach communities know they have a reliable partner in me.”
The latest endorsements come after Justice earned support from the St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters Local 747 and the Palm Harbor/Oldsmar Professional Fire Fighters Local 2980.
Justice was first elected to the Commission in 2012. He also has support from South Pasadena Mayor Arthur Penny, Gulfport Mayor Sam Henderson and Gulfport City Council members Paul Ray and April Thanos, who all announced support in June.
He also earned support from state Sen. Darryl Rouson. Endorsements have also rolled in from leaders in Pinellas Park and Lealman, including from Pinellas Park Mayor Sandra Bradbury, City Council members Ricky Butler, Tim Caddell and Patti Gail Reed, retired Police Chief Michael Haworth, and Lealman Fire District Commissioners Kathleen Quinn Litton and Jorge Mercado.
Other backers include five members of St. Petersburg City Council and a bipartisan cohort that included former colleagues on the County Commission, Susan Latvala and Karen Seel, both Republicans.
Justice also secured an endorsement earlier this Summer from U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor. He also has support from St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch, a former colleague on the Commission and a close friend, and former St. Pete Mayor Rick Kriseman.
Justice will now have to overcome a voter registration disadvantage, with about 30,000 more Republican voters in the county than Democrats. While Justice’s seat includes parts of west St. Pete and Lealman, it is elected countywide.
The GOP is eyeing Justice’s seat to grow its majority on the dais, as well as the open race for District 1, which Democrat Janet Long is vacating after a long tenure.
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.
Justice’s campaign touts his work protecting beaches and local estuaries, as well as preserving green space, investing in infrastructure and making public safety a priority.
