Brian Scott will seek second term on Pinellas County Commission

Image via Brian Scott campaign

Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott will run for re-election to a second term.

Scott, a Republican who is the Commission Chair this year, was first elected in 2022, defeating Democratic incumbent Pat Gerard and flipping the board red. It came eight years after Gerard was the one to flip the Commission blue in 2014, and represented what has become a seismic shift in Pinellas County politics that now favors Republicans. Scott is now part of a 6-1 supermajority.

Scott is the President of Escot Bus Lines, a family-owned business that operates throughout Florida. In his campaign announcement, he pointed to success running the business as a template for success in government.

“We expanded ESCOT Bus Lines into the successful business it is today by putting the customer first, taking a hard look at our finances, keeping costs down, and eliminating waste from the balance sheet,” he said. “I am proud to have taken this same approach to local government.”

Scott also had praise for President Donald Trump, saying he has done “a fantastic job in Washington eliminating waste, and abuse of our tax dollars.” Scott said he plans “to continue this effort on the Pinellas County Commission.”

“We’re going to make sure the government is delivering its critical functions to residents, such as public safety and recovering from last year’s hurricanes in the most cost-effective way possible. I’m excited to hit the campaign trail ensuring Pinellas remains safe and affordable,” Scott added.

In addition to his service on the Commission, Scott is also one of the board’s representatives on the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority Board of Directors, where he has focused on identifying efficiencies within the organization. He also serves as President of the Florida Motorcoach Association and TRAX Insurance, Ltd., and is a member of the Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Advisory Board, a role that has led him to testify before Congress twice.

Scott defeated Gerard four years ago with 54% of the vote, part of a red wave that swept the state that year despite gains nationally for Democrats. All indications are that Republicans will continue to have an advantage.

As of January, Republicans outnumbered Democrats in Pinellas County with nearly 247,000 voters to less than 209,000 for Democrats. Another more than 172,000 voters are unaffiliated with a political party. For perspective, that approximately 32,000-voter advantage was just 11,000 the first time Scott was elected.

In his 2022 race, Scott raised more than $353,000 between his campaign account and affiliated political committee, Friends of Brian Scott. Scott just filed to run for re-election Monday so has not yet reported any campaign contributions. His committee is still active, but only has about $4,000 remaining.

Scott is so far the only candidate filed for the District 2 race, or any county race in 2026.

In addition to Scott, Commissioners Dave Eggers and Kathleen Peters are also up for re-election next year. While neither have yet announced their intentions to seek another term, both are expected to do so.