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Extensive Media Enterprises Good Friday morning. For the first time since entering the race for St. Petersburg Mayor, former Gov. Charlie Crist is posting majority support among city voters, with a commanding 25-point lead over incumbent Mayor Ken Welch. A St. Pete Polls survey taken Monday and Tuesday among 509 likely St. Pete voters shows Crist with 52% support in the race, while Welch trails at 27%. With 21% still undecided, the numbers further cloud Welch's already difficult path to victory. Even with all of the undecided votes, he'd still finish with just 48% support, 4 points behind Crist. Data from the poll show that Crist has improved his standing among several demographics, including erasing Welch's advantage among Black voters and Democrats, while gaining ground among Republicans and independents. 
Charlie Crist opens a commanding lead over Ken Welch in the St. Petersburg Mayor’s race. As of late July, when a previous St. Pete Polls survey was taken ahead of the Primary, Welch led Crist among Black voters by 26 percentage points. The new poll, the first taken since the Primary, in which Crist finished nearly 15 points ahead of Welch, shows Crist leading Welch among Black voters by 1 percentage point. While that is well within the poll's margin of error (4.3 percentage points overall, and considerably wider for a subsample of 86 Black voters), it shows a 27-point swing in favor of Crist among Welch's strongest demographic. What's more, Black voters are the most likely to sit out the race, an apparent rebuke of the incumbent, who is serving as the city's first African American Mayor. About 17% of Black voters say they're not sure if they'll vote in the mayoral race, followed by 14% of independents and 13% of young voters ages 18-29. Meanwhile, only 5% of white voters say they're not sure if they'll cast a ballot in the mayoral race. Welch's poor showing in the poll is likely due to his approval rating, which is far underwater at minus 25. The poll found just 24% of voters approve of Welch's job performance, compared with 49% who disapprove. That's a sharp drop since polling in late March, when he had a net-positive approval rating of 7 points. In late June, Welch was underwater by 5 points. And a big issue emerging this election cycle in St. Pete and across the nation — Flock cameras — may also be contributing to Welch's poor positioning, with 59% of voters disapproving of them, compared with just 23% who approve. St. Pete has more than 50 Flock cameras installed throughout the city, and Welch has declined to have them removed, arguing opposition is "knee-jerk political theater" and saying he hasn't seen evidence that "it's such an invasion." Crist, meanwhile, has called for a moratorium on the cameras. ___ “Record share of Americans want unions to wield more influence” via Andrew Pantazi of Axios — Americans’ support for organized labor has climbed near historic highs even as union membership remains near modern lows. A Gallup poll found 71% approve of labor unions, including 89% of Democrats, 70% of independents and 52% of Republicans. A record 47% want unions to have more influence, more than twice the 23% who want less. Republican approval, however, does not translate into support for greater union power: 49% want unions to have less influence. Only 11% of U.S. workers were represented by unions in 2025, down from 23% in 1983. Meanwhile, just 27% of Americans expect unions to become stronger, while 39% expect them to weaken. ___ Labor Day Weekend may mark the unofficial end of Summer, but it is also a reminder of the workers who keep Florida moving — and the unions making sure their voices are heard in Tallahassee. From police officers and firefighters to teachers and healthcare workers, organized labor remains a Capitol force even where unions face political headwinds. The Florida State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police represents 20,000 members across 100 local lodges, with Lisa Henning of Timmins Consulting carrying its priorities before lawmakers. The Florida Police Benevolent Association likewise advocates for law enforcement officers and families, backed by an extensive lobbying team. 
Florida workers take center stage for Labor Day Weekend and the unofficial close of Summer. Florida Professional Firefighters brings another substantial presence in public safety. Founded in 1944, the organization represents more than 24,000 members through 150 local affiliates, with President Wayne “Bernie” Bernoska leading an advocacy team that includes Angelo D’Ariano, Rocco Salvatori, Meredith Stanfield and Screven Watson. The Florida Education Association is among the state’s best-known unions, representing 150,000 teachers, school support employees, higher-ed faculty, retirees and education students. Its relationship with Tallahassee has often been contentious, particularly over classroom policies and teacher compensation, making its lobbying operation an important presence each Session. Private-sector workers also have substantial representation. The Florida AFL-CIO encompasses more than 500 local unions and over a million members, retirees and family members, with Rich Templin handling politics and public policy. SEIU 1199 United Healthcare Workers represents more than 35,000 active and retired healthcare-sector members, aided by PinPoint Results. For Florida politicos grinding through 16-hour days during the 2026 Elections, relentless work schedules may feel familiar. But Labor Day exists because generations of workers fought to make such conditions the exception rather than the expectation. Labor politics have changed dramatically since the holiday became federal law in 1894, but the underlying point remains: Florida’s prosperity depends on the people who show up and do the work. |