Charlie Crist-aligned political committee launches first TV ad

Celebrating Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays, a political committee aligned with Charlie Crist is running an ad on local channels featuring the former Governor celebrating the rich history of baseball in St. Pete.

The ad comes as Crist is expected to announce a run for Mayor soon to challenge incumbent Mayor Ken Welch.

The ad, paid for by the St. Pete Shines political committee, begins with Crist sporting a throwback jersey, with the team’s iconic original “Devil Rays” logo in shades of purple, turquoise, green and yellow with a stingray below it.

“Opening Day, one of the best times of the year, especially here in St. Pete,” Crist says.

Crist, who previously served as both Governor and the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 13th Congressional District, is speaking in the ad from Al Lang Stadium, a nod to St. Pete’s long history as a baseball town.

While it’s now painted with neon green and yellow accents to support the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team that now calls the stadium home, for generations it was a baseball stadium used as a Spring Training location.

Constructed in 1947, the stadium has served as Spring Training home to the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, New York Giants and Baltimore Orioles. Baseball greats such as Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio have taken the field there. Al Lang Stadium, named after a former St. Pete Mayor, was also the site of a proposed waterfront stadium to house the Rays that failed in 2008.

Crist himself previously worked at Al Lang Stadium as General Counsel for Minor League Baseball.

The ad not only features images of Al Lang Stadium, but also a montage of historic clips from games played in Tropicana Field, as well as Rays-related headlines.

“Our city has a proud baseball tradition,” Crist continues in the ad. “I’ve been blessed to enjoy many of these moments, like reviving the Governor’s Baseball Dinner.”

As Governor, Crist participated in the annual dinner to support baseball. He hosted the dinner in 2010 with guests including Hall of Famer Andre Dawson and then-MLB Commissioner Bug Selig.

The ad briefly touches on the politics behind baseball in St. Pete, which hosts the Tampa Bay Rays’ current home at Tropicana Field.

Following back-to-back hurricanes in 2024, including Hurricane Milton that damaged the Trop, previous Rays leadership backed out of its agreement with the city of St. Pete and Pinellas County to redevelop the Historic Gas Plant District where Tropicana Field is located. Now, the team is planning to move across the Bay to Tampa, a move that has frustrated some in St. Pete.

“Our community is facing important decisions about the future of baseball. It’ll be important we have leaders with the right vision,” Crist says in the ad before pivoting away from politics.

“Today, let’s put that aside and cheer on our team,” he said, adding, “play ball!”

The ad is running on Bay News 9, the Rays network, MS NOW and Fox News.

Crist has not officially entered the race for Mayor, but when he does, he’ll be a leading contender.

A recent poll found Crist holding an early edge in the crowded race, leading with 23% support to Welch’s 19%. No other candidates, which include St. Pete City Council member Brandi Gabbard, former city Fire Chief Jim Large, former Shore Acres Neighborhood Association President Kevin Batdorf and perennial candidate Maria Scruggs, reached double-digit support in the poll.

Meanwhile, the political committee supporting Crist, St. Pete Shines, has banked more than $1 million as of the end of 2025. Financial reports due this week are expected to show continued fundraising momentum.

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Ed. Note: Michelle Todd Schorsch is the Chair of St. Pete Shines, a political committee expected to back Crist for St. Petersburg Mayor. Todd Schorsch is married to Peter Schorsch, the publisher of Florida Politics.