Janelle Irwin Taylor
Corey Givens Jr. has defeated Wengay Newton in the race for St. Petersburg City Council, District 7.
With 84% of precincts reporting, Givens earned 52% of the vote.
His victory denies Newton a political comeback. Newton served two terms on City Council from 2008 until 2016. He was elected to the House in 2016, where he served until 2020 when he ran unsuccessfully for Pinellas County Commission. The following year, Newton lost a bid for St. Pete Mayor and lost a bid for his old House district in 2022.
Despite some advantages, Newton’s losing streak continues. A registered Democrat, Newton has often been criticized by members of his own political party for votes and alliances with the GOP. He has, in some of his races, enjoyed support from former St. Pete Mayor Rick Baker, a prominent Pinellas County Republican, and has alliances with Chris and Jack Latvala, GOP political powerhouses locally. The Latvalas supported Newton when he ran against Democratic Rep. Michele Rayner in 2022.
Givens overcame a huge fundraising disadvantage, raising just over $17,000 to Newton’s more than $72,000. He also made a comeback compared to the August Primary, in which Givens finished behind Newton with just 23%, a full 12 percentage points behind but still enough to claim the No. 2 spot and make the General Election runoff.
Givens will replace City Council member John Muhammad, who was appointed to the post following the abrupt resignation of former Council member Lisa Wheeler-Bowman after it was revealed that she no longer lived in the district. Muhammad opted not to seek election to the seat.
The Givens name is recognizable. He has served on numerous boards, including on the Poor People’s Campaign, the Junior League of St. Petersburg Community Advisory Council, the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of St. Petersburg, the Council of Neighborhood Association, the Concerned Organization for the Quality of Education of Black Students, and more.
He also volunteers as a mentor for Big Brothers & Big Sisters and for the group 5000 Role Models. He is a past President of the Lakewood Terrace Neighborhood Association.
While Givens’ victory continues Newton’s losing streak, it ends his own. He lost a City Council race in 2007 after allegations that he inflated his academic achievements and after depositing a $500 campaign donation into his personal checking account, a move he said was made in error. He also lost a 2020 bid for Pinellas County School Board.
