Tampa Bay: Winner and loser of the week

Thumbs up: Ken Welch.

The former Pinellas County Commissioner finished first in a nine-candidate field in the St. Petersburg mayoral Primary. Welch captured 39.40% of 55,940 total votes cast. He advances to the Nov. 2 General Election against Robert Blackmon.  If Welch prevails, he’ll become the first Black Mayor in the city’s history.

Thumbs down: Hillsborough GOP.

The local Republican party embarrassed itself by having Marjorie Taylor Greene as the speaker at its Lincoln Day Dinner. Greene, a Congresswoman from Georgia, an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, is infamous for promoting conspiracies, including that the Parkland massacre was staged.

– Joe Henderson, The Tampa Bay 100