Fourth candidate files to replace Gina Driscoll on St. Pete City Council, lands backing from her predecessor

A fourth candidate has entered the race for St. Petersburg City Council, District 6: Trevor Mallory, a former professional baseball player and President of the nonprofit community development organization Neighborhood Home Solutions.

Mallory has never held elected office before, but this won’t be his first attempt at it. He previously ran unsuccessfully for the District 6 seat in 2013. In 2020, he came up short in his challenge to then- and now-incumbent Pinellas County Property Appraiser Mike Twitty. He also briefly entered the race in 2022 for House District 62, but dropped his bid after incumbent Rep. Michele Rayner said she would seek re-election rather than run for Congress.

And Mallory is otherwise active in state and local politics, having served as the District 6 representative on the Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2022. Mallory also previously served as the President of the Democratic Black Caucus of Florida and as Chair of the St. Petersburg NAACP’s housing committee.

“I’m running because the values I grew up with here in St. Petersburg matter,” said Mallory, a graduate of Lakewood High School. “Tough challenges are coming our way, and the best way to tackle them is to have a strong community that values a diversity of perspectives. St. Pete shaped who I am and now it’s my responsibility to give back in a way the next generation can be proud of.”

Mallory enters the race with support from a former foe. Former District 6 City Council member Karl Nurse is supporting his bid. Nurse was the incumbent when Mallory first ran for the seat over a decade ago.

“I’ve known Trevor for many years,” Nurse said. “I’ve seen the hard work he’s done to create housing our neighbors can afford, to preserve the character of the city, and to create a community for the next generation of kids who call St Pete home. Trevor has the skills, the experience and, frankly, the grit and determination to deal with the challenges facing our city.”

While Mallory is the fourth and most recent entrant into the race, he’s the first male candidate to join. He joins Terri Balliet, the CEO of the Children’s Network of Hillsborough County; Linsey Grove, a nonprofit consultant who owns and runs The Hypatia Collaborative, a nonprofit shared services organization that provides administrative and support services and consulting to small nonprofits in the region; and Jameka Williams, an Historic Uptown neighborhood community activist and member of the Faith in Florida advocacy group.

Balliet, who was the first to enter the race in June, is running with support from former Mayor Rick Kriseman.

The candidates are running to replace City Council member Gina Driscoll, who is facing term limits. Driscoll has not yet endorsed a preferred successor.

In addition to his professional and civic work, Mallory is a father of four daughters and works as a youth mentor, including serving as the president of the little league where he coaches tee ball.

“I’ve worn a lot of hats in my life: athlete, city worker, business owner, coach, and dad,” Mallory said. “Some things are the same no matter how you’re helping — progress happens when you show up, listen, and stay committed for the long haul.”