For the first time in eight years, Pinellas County Commissioner Kathleen Peters will face a challenger at the ballot box. Democrat David Glenn Jr. recently filed to run against the Republican incumbent in District 6, setting up a race Peters has not had since her last contested election.
Peters is seeking a third term in 2026 after running unopposed in 2022. She currently serves on a 6–1 Republican supermajority on the commission and has been one of the county’s most visible elected officials during her most recent term.
First elected to the commission after representing Southwest Pinellas County in the Florida House from 2012 to 2018, Peters has built a record around beach protection, mental health policy and countywide infrastructure.
Beach re-nourishment has been a consistent focus, including support for the county’s $125 million shoreline restoration plan following repeated hurricane damage. She has lobbied both Republican and Democratic administrations on the issue, including joining a county delegation to Washington and signing a 2019 letter to President Donald Trump alongside the full commission.
Mental health and addiction treatment have also been central to her agenda. Peters has pointed to the opioid epidemic and gaps in care as drivers for reform. In May 2024, Pinellas County launched Care About Me, a confidential hotline connecting residents to mental health and addiction services. Peters, then serving as commission chair, called the program “the culmination of years of research, community partnerships and work with providers,” and said its purpose was to ensure residents in crisis “are not alone and that help is available.”
As chair in 2024, Peters also led the county’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. She welcomed President Joe Biden to tour affected areas and later pressed Trump for additional federal support as recovery efforts continued.
Peters was also a key voice behind the proposed Rays Stadium deal in St. Petersburg’s Historic Gas Plant District. She helped secure a 5–2 commission vote to use tourist tax revenue for the project even after two supportive commissioners were replaced by opponents following the 2024 election. The deal ultimately collapsed when the Rays withdrew, citing hurricane-related cost overruns.
Peters has accrued nearly $64,000 for her campaign. Conversely, challenger Glenn filed recently and has not reported any campaign donations to date. The filing marks Peters’ first contested race since her 2018 reelection, when she won by roughly 20 points after a competitive primary.
Writer Peter Wahlberg contributed to this article.