Heated Debate About LGBTQ Issues, Social Media Slurs Between St. Pete Mayoral Candidates

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Former Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch and City Councilman Robert Blackmon Jr., faced difficult questions about LGBTQ issues and social media slurs directed toward women in Monday night's St. Petersburg mayoral debate.

Welch, a Democrat, and Blackmon, a Republican are vying to succeed Mayor Rick Kriseman, who will leave office because of term limits. The election is Nov. 2.

The event was held at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg and moderated by WFLA political reporter Evan Donovan.

LGBTQ Views

Donovan asked Welch about an anti-LGBTQ letter he wrote to the Tampa Bay Times in the 1990s. "There are several past incidents that I'd like each of you to address," Donovan said. "The Tampa Bay Times reported that you wrote in a 1995 letter-to-the editor that you stood with the Bible in opposition to homosexuality and abortion."

Ken Welch: "I did not say I was opposed to homosexual sexuality and abortion. It was a response to an article about the Promise Keepers, which was a convention that Tony Dungy was a part of. When I attended that I didn't hear the reference to homosexuality and abortion so that question is not great. Bottom line."

Interjected by Donovan, "You've said previously, however, that you stood with the Bible and then that was your view in line with the Bible."

"No, you're not interpreting it," Welch said. "So let me tell you what I'm doing. So 30 years ago, it almost the Times they literally are referencing that right after the discussion on the marketing program for the academy, which would have segmented into marketing toward the LGBT community, African American and so forth, right after my comments on that. The LGBT community starting reaching out to me, and I started meeting with folks like Brian and Seven McHugh, and listened to their lived experience and thought, 'Well this is why this is important.' And so I listened. I learned the very next year. I've made the motion to add sexual orientation to the kind of human rights ordinance. A few years later, in 2013 when I was chair, in my first meeting, we started a domestic partnership. And then later on that year, we had transgender protections. So my story is in 25 or 30 years, I've learned a lot. I've become a strong ally. I am a person of faith, but my faith is not based on hatred and never has been so, you know, that is my story. And that's why I'm endorsed by the Pinellas County Stonewall Democrats and by Equality Florida and other folks who have actually worked with me and been with me on this journey."

Foul Language Aimed At Women On Facebook

Donovan then referenced several Facebook posts from 2010 to 2012 posted under Blackmon's name that included disparaging comments about women including foul language.

When you made those comments, how should voters judge you on those comments now?

Robert Blackmon: "The past is the past, and we need to learn from it at all times, you know. Did I make jokes all the time? I mean, you know, when you're with your friends when you're in your 20s you're in college, you're having a good time. And none of that makes it all right. You know, I could never find those on my Facebook. I'm not at all trying to make excuses for past behaviors because wrong is wrong now or then, and I own that, and I apologize for that, but I'm not going to do like what my opponent just did and try and explain that away, because that was wrong then. All the actions he did when he was an elected official fighting against rights, fighting against organizations and groups, sending (letters) to the paper saying Black people are pawns of the Democratic party. That's not right. I believe in equality for all, and I am sorry for things I did, long before I ever considered a career in politics. But when people have taken their platform, and use it against groups to say they don't know what bathroom the transgender community will use, or when they disrupt the meeting. I think that rises to a completely different level of scrutiny from some young people writing dumb stuff on the internet."

The rebuttal from Welch became heated as Donovan had to intervene between the two candidates as they argued. "I think you both said your piece, and I think we should move on," Donovan said.
"In fact, I'm going to lighten up here for a moment. I think we value our time here obviously, and the chamber's priorities, but I want people to get to know you as well."

Favorite Memories Growing Up In St. Petersburg?

Blackmon: "My happiest days were at St. Petersburg High School. ... But truly one of the memories I look back on the most is the wonderful summer camps we had in St. Petersburg going to Boyd Hill and learning about nature, going to Pathfinders and nature, going to bring explorations and learning about robotics, going to the Museum of History and learning about the history of our city and how we got to where we are, and certainly the science center, which I absolutely resented being dumped at every summer by my parents on end because I figured I've already had a whole hard year's worth of work, why be dumped here? But looking back, it was the greatest memories of my life."

Welch: "Working in my grandfather's wood yard. As a boy, learning how to swing an axe. The first time someone gave me a tip, I didn't know what to do, granted, you can take the tip. That means you're doing a good job. But growing up, you know the last year of segregation I attended Melrose Elementary. And then the next year, we were the first integrated classes — a big one. And so my whole middle school and high school were folks who hadn't been in the same communities before the busing was active."

On Tuesday, Patch will share Welch and Blackmon's differing opinions about whether the Tampa Bay Rays stay in St. Pete or leave. And their opinions about future public transportation increases.

Monday night's debate was hosted by WFLA and the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

For more information about voting, go to Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections.