On the evening of Aug. 28, Ben Diamond announced that he will not pursue a mayoral campaign for St. Pete’s 2026 election. The sudden notice tucks in the coattails of a recent poll that Diamond funded, which tested campaign messaging and resident sentiment. In response, Mayor Welch expressed “surprise.” The poll focused on Welch’s hurricane response, ethnicity, and it gauged if the city would accept a more centrist politician. Since dropping out of the race, the only known contenders are Maria Scruggs and Ken Welch.