Politics
Kathleen Peters to kick off re-election bid for Pinellas County Commission
Republican Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters is kicking off her re-election campaign next week, where she will highlight her record of fiscal restraint, coastal protection and public safety as cornerstones of her tenure.
The kickoff is Tuesday at Island Way Grill located at 20 Island Way in Clearwater Beach, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna is expected to attend as an invited guest.
Hosts for the kickoff include a who’s who of GOP politics supporting the Republican incumbent, including Pinellas County Commission colleagues Dave Eggers, Chris Latvala, Chris Scherer and Brian Scott; state Sens. Nick DiCeglie and Ed Hooper; state Reps. Linda Chaney and Berny Jacques; Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, Pinellas County Tax Collector Adam Ross; Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector; former Florida House Speaker Chris Sprowls; former state Sen. Jack Latvala; former St. Petersburg City Council members Robert Blackmon and Ed Montanari; and more.
Peters was first elected to the Pinellas County Commission in 2018 after serving in the Legislature since 2012 and as the Mayor of South Pasadena before that. Her victory was a big deal for a Republican who had left her position in the House before term limits required it, arguing that the chamber had become hyperpartisan.
She now serves on a Commission with a GOP supermajority, with just one Democrat sharing the dais. She was recently named one of the Tampa Bay area’s most powerful politicians by a panel of political strategists, lobbyists, reporters and others for Florida Politics.
Peters established herself early on as a champion for mental health, an issue that easily transcended partisan politics and earned Peters a place as a lawmaker who did what was right, not just politically expedient.
Now, she continues to assert her independence even with the political majority, pushing vociferously for beach nourishment, a critical issue for coastal residents.
Peters led a delegation of local officials to Washington to fight for beach nourishment needed after the devastating 2024 hurricane season. Her visit followed Peters’ additional efforts to restore federally funded beach nourishment along Pinellas County’s Gulf Coast. That includes multiple discussions with both the former and current Presidents, as well as a letter to President Donald Trump in February that was sent with the support of the entire County Commission.
“Kathleen is a staunch advocate for beach nourishment, one of Pinellas County’s most critical needs for protecting infrastructure and property from future storms,” said Scott, who currently chairs the Commission. “In times of crisis — such as the three hurricanes that impacted Pinellas last year — she has shown true leadership, decisiveness and compassion for our community.”
And on mental health Peters has pushed for reforms that connect residents with care while reducing the strain on emergency rooms, law enforcement and the criminal justice system.
“Kathleen has become a tireless advocate for mental health reform, passing legislation to provide better preventive services and treatment — rather than jailing people,” Gualtieri said. “She’s always been a strong supporter of law enforcement and first responders, and it’s policies like this that support law enforcement’s mission and keep communities safe.”
Even before the Commission went red in 2022, Peters was successful in gathering consensus for tax cuts, something even more relevant in today’s political climate as the DeSantis administration pushes local governments to slash property taxes.
“Kathleen has consistently demonstrated fiscal responsibility, championed public safety, and supported policies that promote economic growth,” DiCeglie said. “Her collaborative approach and deep understanding of local issues make her an invaluable asset to Pinellas.”
In all, Peters is launching her re-election campaign with support from at least 47 people, a number she finds humbling.
“I’m so thankful for the support of the community and my colleagues, and proud of what we’ve accomplished so far on the County Commission,” said Peters, who is seeking her third term on the Commission. “Whether it’s protecting our critical beaches and assisting the recovery from the storms, or working to cut taxes for our residents, I’m ready to continue that work.”
So far, Peters is unopposed. She has raised nearly $33,000 for her re-election, according to campaign finance data.
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U.S. Rep. Jimmy Patronis is on board with a movement to reduce the impacts of the Clean Water Act and ease some restrictions on development.
Patronis, a Republican in Florida’s 1st Congressional District in the Panhandle, voted with many of his colleagues in favor of the Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today (PERMIT Act HR 3893). Many Republicans say the proposed measure is designed to “reduce red tape.”
The proposal “eliminated duplicative and costly Clean Water Act permit requirements that do not improve environmental safety,” according to a House GOP statement.
The PERMIT Act, drafted by U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, a Georgia Republican, would also provide amendments to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Patronis voted in favor of the measure, saying it’s long overdue.
“I am honored to support the passage of the PERMIT Act that will streamline … permitting, while ensuring the environment is protected,” Patronis said. “We must keep the government out of our backyards and restore power to the states.”
The measure has yet to go to the full floor of the U.S. Senate for consideration.
But the bill, according to supporters, reduces costly project delays and unnecessary litigation. It provides certainty to infrastructure builders, farmers, water utilities and small businesses, according to wording in the measure.
The bill would limit the scope of the Clean Water Act, which was originally approved by Congress in 1972. When it comes to permitting under the Clean Water Act, the new measure Patronis supports would exclude waste treatment systems, prior converted cropland, groundwater, or features that are determined to be excluded by the U.S. Army Corps Engineers.
While conservatives in Congress support the PERMIT Act, the measure has drawn criticism from environmental activist organizations.
The Hydropower Reform Coalition assailed the proposal for what it says undercuts long-standing environmental protections for many of America’s waterways.
“This prevents states from considering upstream, downstream, or cumulative impacts of projects like dams, pipelines, or large-scale developments,” a Coalition analysis said. “Enforcement authority would rest only with federal permitting agencies, leaving states unable to enforce the very conditions they might place on a project.”
Former prosecutor Robin Peguero just landed an endorsement from Miami-Dade County School Board member Joe Geller as Peguero seeks to supplant Republican U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar.
Geller, who previously served in the Florida House, as Mayor of North Bay and as Chair of the Miami-Dade Democratic Party, said in a statement that Peguero “will fight for you and me in Congress.”
“Robin will fight for lower costs and affordable healthcare and housing. He’ll fight to defend the rule of law and our democracy. He’ll fight to give all our families a fair shot at the American Dream,” Geller said.
“Robin will take back this seat in Congress — and I’m proud to endorse him.”
The nod from Geller joins others from Key Biscayne Council member Franklin Caplan, Coral Gables Commissioner Melissa Castro, Cutler Bay Council member B.J. Duncan, former U.S. Rep. Donna Shalala, former state Reps. Annie Betancourt and J.C. Planas, and ex-Key Biscayne Mayor Mike Davey, who withdrew from the race for Florida’s 27th Congressional District and immediately endorsed Peguero in August.
Peguero also carries support from CHC Bold PAC, the campaign apparatus of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which prioritizes increasing Latino representation in Congress.
A former federal homicide prosecutor born to immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador, Peguero’s government bona fides include a stint as an investigator for the congressional Jan. 6 Committee and work as Chief of Staff to U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey, a Maryland Democrat.
Today, he works as a novelist and professor at St. Thomas University College of Law.
Peguero will face at least two CD 27 Primary opponents: accountant Alexander Fornino and entrepreneur Richard Lamondin.
Through the last reporting period that ended Sept. 30, Peguero raised $330,000, while Lamondin amassed $453,000 and Fornino collected $25,000.
Salazar, meanwhile, has amassed $681,000 since winning re-election to a third term last year by 21 percentage points. She also has more than $1.64 million in reserve, Federal Election Commission records show.
CD 27 — one of three Florida districts that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has highlighted as “in play” — covers Miami, Coral Gables, Cutler Bay, Key Biscayne, Pinecrest, North Bay Village, South Miami, West Miami and several unincorporated areas.
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