Richie Floyd has officially filed for reelection to St. Petersburg’s City Council District 8 seat. He is currently the only candidate to file and, as of now, no campaign finance activity has been reported.
Floyd was first elected in 2021, defeating former District 8 Councilmember Jeffrey Danner, who served consecutive terms from 2005–2009. Since taking office, Floyd has carved out a reputation as one of the council’s more progressive voices, centering his work on affordability, sustainability and pushing back against what he often describes as “those that profit from our existence.”
That message remains central to his reelection bid. Floyd’s campaign runs as a grassroots effort, with priorities that include tenant protections, neighborhood safety and resisting large corporate handouts.
His policy goals include expanding city-owned affordable and mixed-income housing, reinvesting tax dollars into aging stormwater systems and exploring alternative energy providers when the city’s contract with Duke Energy expires later this year.
Since 2021, Floyd has supported initiatives aimed at assisting tenants facing eviction, including increased access to legal resources. He has also backed additional funding for street safety projects across the district.
In 2024, Floyd emerged as a minority critic of the Tampa Bay Rays stadium and Historic Gas Plant redevelopment plans, citing concerns over public debt and long-term financial exposure. He later supported the decision to terminate the stadium deal in 2025 after the Rays withdrew from the project.
More recently, Floyd was sworn in as vice chair of the City Council, stepping into the role previously held by Lisset Hanewicz, who succeeded Copley Gerdes as council chair.
With no challengers yet in the race, Floyd enters the next election cycle early, carrying an expanded leadership role at City Hall as vice chair.