Architect David Glenn Jr. has filed to challenge longtime incumbent Kathleen Peters for the Pinellas County Commission District 6 seat, setting up a contested race for a post that has often drawn no opposition.

Glenn’s entry ensures voters will have a contested race for the District 6 seat in the upcoming election cycle. Peters, who filed in April, has run unopposed during recent election cycles, but has already raised $63,650 for her re-election campaign nonetheless.

Glenn filed his candidacy paperwork with the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections on Dec. 10. While his campaign website is still listed as “coming soon,” Glenn has launched a Facebook page and used the platform to publicly announce his run, sharing photos and outlining his priorities for county government.

Glenn describes himself as a registered Florida architect and interior designer who has lived in Pinellas County since 2000. He said his decision to run is driven by frustration with entrenched county leadership and a desire to bring new ideas to local government.

Glenn’s platform places a heavy emphasis on land use and development policy, arguing that Pinellas County’s limited remaining land requires a shift toward denser, more carefully planned growth. He calls for creation of high-density overlay districts in non-flood and non-evacuation areas to concentrate future development in key sectors, balanced with surrounding lower-density neighborhoods to preserve their character.

Under his proposal, homeowners could sell transferable development rights, or “air rights,” to higher-density projects. Glenn argues that increased density would expand the county’s tax base, support job creation and ease pressure on property tax rates.

Glenn is also calling for increased investment in county services. His platform highlights public transit funding for the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, expanded support for county parks and recreation, and longer operating hours for county libraries.

He also advocates for streamlined county building and zoning departments to reduce development delays, and for increased support for county-operated animal services and rescue organizations.

Glenn also emphasizes a need for affordable housing. He proposes the creation of dedicated housing developments for teachers and first responders near their workplaces, as well as expanded housing options for veterans and seniors. 

He also supports adopting a countywide nuisance ordinance aimed at addressing problematic short-term rental properties, drug houses and chronic code violators. He said such an ordinance would give county staff and law enforcement additional tools to address properties that disturb their neighborhoods.

Glenn pledged to model part of his public service approach after former Gov. Bob Graham’s “Workdays” initiative, committing to spend time working alongside residents in different jobs and settings to better understand day-to-day challenges.

Last Call – A prime-time read of what’s going down in Florida politics.

First Shot

Gov. Ron DeSantis is playing Santa and giving state employees some extra holiday time off.

State offices will officially be closed on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2, per DeSantis. That’s on top of the standard days off for Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The Governor also gave employees an extra day on Nov. 26.

“Our state employees have worked hard throughout the year,” DeSantis said in a press release. “I hope they enjoy additional time off with loved ones and friends this holiday season. The First Lady and I are thankful for their continued dedication to the people of Florida.”

Times have been good in the state of Florida this year: There have been no hurricanes, with the season officially ending this month, and surpluses in the budget have been used to pay off the state’s debt early.

DeSantis — and a long line of Florida Governors — have given state employees extended holiday weekends. (Private sector bosses, take note!)

For instance, for this year’s July 4 holiday, DeSantis also closed state offices on July 3 for the 100,000 employees in the State Personnel System.

Former Govs. Rick Scott and Charlie Crist also gave more time off during the holidays.

Florida employees usually get nine holidays off throughout the year: New Year’s, the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving and the Friday after, and Christmas.

However, not everyone benefits when state offices close.

According to media reports, OPS, or the “part-time employees hired to fill temporary staff shortages,” won’t get the extra paid time off and are essentially furloughed.

Evening Reads

—”The 27 most outrageous lines from Donald Trump’s primetime holiday address” via Chris Cillizza of So What

—“Kennedy Center Board votes to rename ‘Trump-Kennedy Center’” via Kelsey Ables and Janay Kingsberry of The Washington Post

—”Once again, health care proves to be a bitter political pill for GOP” via Carl Hulse of The New York Times

—”Trump Media to merge with nuclear fusion firm in $6 billion deal” via Gareth Vipers and Nicholas G. Miller of The Wall Street Journal

—”The looming showdown over IVF” via Anna North of Vox

—“The ‘filthy little slum child’ who remade the American right” via Franklin Foer of The Atlantic

—”‘Most dominant’ ever? Byron Donalds’ campaign boasts $40M, massive polling leads since launch” via Jacob Ogles of Florida Politics

—”Gov. Ron DeSantis’ proposed budget changes how state funds cancer programs” via Christine Sexton of the Florida Phoenix

—”Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer announces Congress campaign, seeks to oust Democrat Jared Moskowitz” via Anthony Man of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

—”Gators’ Jon Sumrall might have hit the transfer portal himself, doesn’t judge those who do” via Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel

Quote of the Day

“Now it’s like they have more rights than pro athletes.”

— Gov. Ron DeSantis, bemoaning college football NIL.

Put it on the Tab

Look to your left, then look to your right. If you see one of these people at your happy hour haunt, flag down the bartender and put one of these on your tab. Recipes included, just in case the Cocktail Codex fell into the well.

AARP says Floridians will enjoy a Money in the Bank once Medicare negotiations take effect next year.

Byron Donalds’ campaign is ordering a Dominator as it heads into 2026 with massive leads in fundraising and in the polls.

President Donald Trump’s push to reschedule pot from Schedule I to Schedule III means Active THC Mixers are a little less illegal.

Breakthrough Insights

Tune In

Rookie Ewers to start for Dolphins Sunday

Apparently, the Tua Tagovailoa era is over in Miami. After Tagovailoa struggled during the first three quarters of Monday night’s 28-15 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Wednesday that rookie Quinn Ewers would start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

Tagovailoa had been the Dolphins’ starter since his rookie season of 2020. In 2022, he finished in the top 10 in the MVP voting, and the following year, he earned his first Pro Bowl honor. While he struggled to stay on the field due to injuries, especially concussions, Tagovailoa never ended a season with a losing record as the starter. 

But this season, Tagovailoa has thrown a career-high 15 interceptions, and the Dolphins have lost eight of 14 games. 

As for Ewers, the former Ohio State and Texas quarterback has played in just one game in his rookie season, completing five of eight passes in a 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Oct. 19. The seventh-round pick will make his first NFL start against a Bengals team that, like the Dolphins, has already been eliminated from playoff contention. 

Ewers will join several other rookie quarterbacks who have started games this season. Cam Ward has been the primary starter for the Tennessee Titans all season. The New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough of the Saints, and the Browns’ pair of Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel have all started for their teams this season.

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Last Call is published by Peter Schorsch, assembled and edited by Phil Ammann and Drew Wilson, with contributions from the staff of Florida Politics.

President Donald Trump’s handpicked board voted Thursday to rename Washington’s leading performing arts center as the Trump-Kennedy Center, the White House said, in a move that was quickly denounced as a “disgrace” by the Democratic Leader of the House, who is on the Board.

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the vote on social media, attributing it to the “unbelievable work President Trump has done over the last year in saving the building. Not only from the standpoint of its reconstruction, but also financially, and its reputation.”

Trump, a Republican who’s Chairman of the Board, said at the White House that he was “surprised” and “honored” by the vote.

“The Board is a very distinguished Board, most distinguished people in the country and I was surprised by it and I was honored by it,” he said.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that Trump’s handpicked Board has no authority to rename the center in the absence of legislative action, “and we’re going to make that clear.” The New York Democrat is an ex officio member of the Board because of his position in Congress.

Trump often refers to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which is named for a Democratic predecessor, as the “Trump Kennedy Center.”

Asked Dec. 7 as he walked the red carpet for the Kennedy Center Honors program whether he would rename the venue after himself, Trump said such a decision would be up to the Board.

Earlier this month, Trump talked about a “big event” happening at the “Trump Kennedy Center” before saying, “excuse me, at the Kennedy Center,” as his audience laughed. He was referring to the FIFA World Cup soccer draw for 2026, in which he participated.

A name change won’t sit well with some Kennedy family members.

Maria Shriver, a niece of John F. Kennedy, referred to the legislation introduced in Congress to rebrand the Kennedy Center as the Donald J. Trump Center for the Performing Arts as “insane” in a social media post in July.

“It makes my blood boil. It’s so ridiculous, so petty, so small minded,” she wrote. “Truly, what is this about? It’s always about something. ‘Let’s get rid of the Rose Garden. Let’s rename the Kennedy Center.’ What’s next?”

Trump earlier this year turned the Kennedy-era Rose Garden at the White House into a patio by removing the lawn and laying down paving stones.

Another Kennedy family member, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serves in Trump’s Cabinet as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Trump showed scant interest in the Kennedy Center during his first term as President, but since returning to office in January he has replaced Board members appointed by Democratic Presidents with some of his most ardent supporters, who then elected him as Board Chairman.

He also has criticized the center’s programming and its physical appearance and has vowed to overhaul both.

Trump secured more than $250 million from the Republican-controlled Congress for renovations of the building.

He attended opening night of the musical “Les Misérables,” and last week he served as host of the Kennedy Center Honors program after not attending the show during his first term as President. The awards program is scheduled to be broadcast by CBS and Paramount+ on Dec. 23.

Sales of subscription packages are said to have declined since Trump’s takeover of the center, and several touring productions, including “Hamilton,” have canceled planned runs there. Rows upon rows of empty seats have been seen in the Concert Hall during performances by the National Symphony Orchestra.

Some performers, including actor Issa Rae and musician Rhiannon Giddens, have scrapped scheduled appearances, and Kennedy Center consultants including musician Ben Folds and singer Renée Fleming have resigned.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.