Kevin Batdorf enters St. Petersburg mayoral race, criticizing city direction

Shore Acres Neighborhood Association President Kevin Batdorf has formally filed to challenge incumbent Ken Welch for St. Petersburg Mayor, joining a competitive field of candidates running in 2026.

Batdorf, a longtime real estate broker and St. Petersburg native, announced plans to enter the race during an interview with Florida Politics. His candidacy gives voters a community voice alternative to entrenched city politicians like Welch and City Council member Brandi Gabbard — who has also launched a mayoral campaign.

“I’m running because I have a passion for this city,” Batdorf said. “I want to do what I can to make this a much better place to live.”

Former St. Petersburg Fire Chief Jim Large and perennial contenders Paul Congemi and Maria Scruggs have also filed for the contest. Former Gov. Charlie Crist is also expected to join the race, though he has not yet filed to do so. A PAC supporting Crist’s potential campaign has surpassed $1 million in total fundraising, even before the former Governor has officially thrown his hat into the ring.

“We have several members that are running that are career politicians,” Batdorf told Florida Politics on Monday. “We don’t need career politicians anymore. It’s not working for us.”

Batdorf has emerged as a vocal critic of city leadership, arguing that St. Petersburg needs a new direction on infrastructure, storm preparedness and development management. He has pointed to concerns about aging infrastructure systems, drainage and sewer challenges, and the city’s approach to hurricane recovery as issues he believes require stronger planning and coordination.

“The city’s response to recent natural disasters exposed a lack of preparation and planning,” Batdorf said in a press release. “The administration was not ready for the aftermath, and many of the measures taken were reactive and poorly executed, including debris removal and permitting processes.”

On Monday, he critiqued plans to include a $600 million infrastructure bond on the upcoming election ballot. Batdorf said that St. Petersburg has significant infrastructure needs, but is skeptical that voters will choose to pay higher city taxes on the same ballot where the state intends to include a property tax cut or reform.

“When you drive down a road, there’s potholes. It doesn’t matter where you’re going throughout the city. Why aren’t they being addressed properly?” Batdorf said.

“The drainage system doesn’t work in St. Petersburg; it’s failed, so they want to put a GO (general obligation) bond on a referendum on the November ballot. You’re going to put a GO bond, asking people to pay higher taxes, when there’s going to be another measure from the state asking people if they want to get rid of their taxes? It will never go. It won’t work. We need to find alternative sources for funding the projects that need to get done.”

Batdorf has also been critical of the city’s handling of the collapsed Tampa Bay Rays deal tied to redevelopment of the Tropicana Field site in the Historic Gas Plant District, a project that had been central to the city’s economic development strategy before negotiations with the team unraveled with Welch at the helm and Gabbard on the Council.

The Rays are now negotiating with Hillsborough County stakeholders to relocate away from St. Petersburg to Tampa, and St. Pete is moving on with plans to redevelop the district without the team’s involvement.

“I’ve seen how this administration has failed, and people from City Council who are running are a part of that problem,” Batdorf said. “The City Council has been a rubber stamp for the Mayor since he was elected, the deal with the Rays was doomed to fail from the beginning. It’s poor management and poor decision-making.”

Batdorf has worked in the local real estate industry for decades. He has said that experience has also given him firsthand exposure to the city’s permitting process and development policies, which he says should be modernized to serve residents and businesses better.

If elected, Batdorf has indicated he would focus on improving transparency at City Hall, overhauling the permitting system and pursuing what he describes as “smart growth” policies.

“I strive to unite St. Petersburg, and look forward to discussing issues and my solutions with residents, neighborhoods and community leaders so we can work together to move our city forward. Together, we can restore transparency, rebuild trust, and create a stronger future for our city,” Batdorf said.