St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce's Meet the Candidates Event Draws Hundreds of Voters Ahead of Primary Election

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed more than 330 business and community members, plus 41 candidates to its Meet the Candidates event on Thursday, August 6, at Tropicana Field, providing voters with a unique opportunity to engage directly with leaders seeking public office ahead of Florida's Primary Election.

Co-presented by Spectrum and the Tampa Bay Rays, with support from Platinum Sponsor Duke Energy, Bronze Sponsor TECO Peoples Gas, and in partnership with the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber, the nonpartisan event brought together candidates representing local, county, state, and federal races.

Throughout the evening, attendees connected one-on-one with candidates, asked questions about issues impacting the business community, networked with fellow residents, and participated in the Chamber's inaugural Community Straw Poll, providing an informal snapshot of attendee sentiment on this year's races and ballot measures.

For the first time, the Chamber also incorporated audience participation through a straw poll, giving attendees another opportunity to engage in the democratic process while emphasizing the importance of informed civic participation.

"This event reflects one of the Chamber's most important roles, which is bringing together business leaders, residents, and candidates to encourage thoughtful dialogue around the issues shaping the future of St. Petersburg," said Chris Steinocher, President & CEO of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce. "Our goal is not to tell people how to vote, but to create opportunities for voters to hear directly from candidates, ask meaningful questions, and become more informed before Election Day."

Steinocher adds, “Equally as exciting is the fact that the winners in our straw poll represent all sides of the political spectrum and visibly demonstrate how diverse St. Pete has become.”

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber extends its sincere appreciation to every candidate who participated, our sponsors and partners, Tropicana Field, our volunteers, media partners, and the hundreds of attendees who helped make this one of the region's premier civic engagement events.

Community Straw Poll Results

As part of the event, attendees were invited to participate in a voluntary Community Straw Poll. The following candidates received the highest level of support in their respective races:

• Governor: David Jolly
• United States Senate: Angie Nixon
• U.S. House District 13: Anna Paulina Luna
• U.S. House District 16: Kelly Kirschner
• State Chief Financial Officer: Annette Taddeo
• State Commissioner of Agriculture: Joey Mendoza Atkins
• Florida Senate District 16: Fentrice Driskell
• Florida Senate District 18: Nick DiCeglie
• Florida House District 60: Lindsay Polega-Quigley
• Florida House District 61: May Thach
• Florida House District 62: Kyandra Darling
• Pinellas County Commission District 2: Tim Hughes
• Pinellas County Commission District 4: Dave Eggers
• Pinellas County Commission District 6: Kathleen Peters
• County Judge Group 10: Nick Fiorentino
• Circuit Judge Group 39: Elizabeth “Liz” Constantine
• Circuit Judge Group 44: Elizabeth “Liz” Jack
• Pinellas County School Board District 2: Lisa Cane
• Pinellas County School Board District 3: Curtis Campogni
• Pinellas County School Board District 6: Amanda Lord
• Mayor, City of St. Petersburg: Kenneth Welch
• St. Petersburg City Council District 2: Gabriel Hament
• St. Petersburg City Council District 6: Linsey Grove

Continue the Conversation

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce's commitment to civic engagement doesn't end with Meet the Candidates. As a nonpartisan organization, the Chamber is dedicated to helping voters make informed decisions through educational resources and opportunities to engage directly with candidates and better understand the issues shaping our community.

Community members are encouraged to visit the Chamber’s Candidates Corner webpage at http://www.stpete.com/candidates-corner for more election resources such as candidate-submitted profiles and campaign information, plus details about:

• Attending the Chamber's Friday Forums, beginning Friday, August 28, for informal conversations with candidates advancing to the General Election, including audience questions and opportunities for direct engagement.
• Participating in What's on the Ballot?, a nonpartisan educational forum sponsored by Orlando Health, from 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, offering voters an in-depth look at the constitutional amendments, referendums, and local ballot questions appearing on this year's ballot.

Together, we can ensure our community heads to the polls informed, engaged, and prepared to shape the future of St. Petersburg.

About the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce

The St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce is a nonpartisan business organization representing more than 1,300 member businesses and community leaders. Since 1899, the Chamber has advanced economic growth through business advocacy, leadership, connections, and programs that strengthen the St. Petersburg community.