Wengay Newton rolls out slate of endorsements spanning the political spectrum

Known for his willingness to reach across the aisle and alliances with conservatives, Wengay Newton rolled out this week a slate of endorsements spanning the political spectrum, as he enters the home stretch in his race for St. Petersburg City Council, District 7.

Though the City Council is a nonpartisan board, Newton is a Democrat who previously served in the House and, prior to that, served two terms in the district he’s now seeking again.

The endorsements include the Tampa Bay Times, Sen. Darryl Rouson, City Council member Gina Driscoll, the Suncoast Police Benevolent Organization, the St. Petersburg Association of Firefighters and Paramedics Local 747, the Pinellas Realtor Organization, former Mayor Rick Baker, former City Council members Robert Blackmon and Jeff Danner, Florida Rising and SEIU Florida.

Newton faces Corey Givens Jr. in the District 7 race. The winner will replace John Muhammad who was appointed to the seat following the resignation of Lisa Wheeler-Bowman resulting from a residency dispute. Muhammad chose not to seek election following his appointment.

In its endorsement, the Times praised Newton for “asking good questions in service of his constituents.” As a City Council member years ago, Newton was known for pressing back on administration priorities, particularly on one of the most high-profile issues of his tenure, construction of a new St. Pete Pier.

The Times also agreed with Newton when he said he would need “zero learning curve,” noting that “he is the most experienced candidate in the race.” The Times had also endorsed Newton in the Primary, when he faced a crowded field of candidates and emerged in the top two with Givens to head to the Nov. 5 General Election runoff.

In that endorsement, the paper’s editorial board praised Givens as “an eloquent and passionate speaker with some good ideas on how to cut down on juvenile crime.” But they pointed to a series of blunders in past campaigns Givens has run, including inflating academic credentials, and depositing a campaign donation into his personal checking account.

Newton finished first in the Primary.

“For a City to enjoy true prosperity all its citizens must have access to economic opportunities,” Newton said. “I am grateful to my endorsers and to the community they represent for trusting me to achieve that, and as a leader and advocate I will be Ready Day One.”

District 7 covers parts of St. Petersburg including the Midtown area and Childs Park. The General Election, however, is open to voters citywide.