Former Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber, who also previously served as a state Senator, is endorsing former Gov. Charlie Crist for Mayor, pointing to shared service in Tallahassee and Crist’s commitment to putting people over party.
Gelber is currently a partner at Gelber Schachter & Greenberg. He served as Miami Beach Mayor from late 2017 until the end of 2023. Prior to that he served in the Legislature, both as a state Representative and Senator, from 2000 until 2010. Gelber wasn’t the first in his family to dedicate his life to public service. His father, Seymour Gelber, also served as Miami Beach Mayor and was a local judge. His mom, Edith Gelber, was a high school foreign language teacher.
Gelber praised Crist for his service as Governor, a role for which Gelber saw Crist in action. At the time, the two served in different parties, Crist as a Republican and Gelber as a Democrat. Crist has been a Democrat since late 2012.
“I served with Charlie Crist when he was Governor and I was in the Legislature. I watched him bring both political parties together to address windstorm insurance rates. I saw him lead an effort to lower property taxes, resulting in the portability of tax savings that prevents so many people from being trapped in their own homes. And I also watched him, against the wishes of his own party, order polling places to remain open, so that people would not have to endure insufferably long lines. Each time he acted thoughtfully and with the best interests of our residents,” Gelber said.
“As a former Mayor myself, I think St. Petersburg could do no better than Charlie Crist.”
Gelber’s backing comes after Crist secured support last week from community advocate Gwendolyn Reese, a pillar in St. Pete’s Black community and a respected resident across the entire city.
The endorsements come as Crist continues to gain momentum in the race, leading Welch in both fundraising and polling.
A St. Pete Polls survey taken last week found Crist leading Welch in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup 44% to 28%, a 16-percentage-point advantage that has doubled since previous polling at the end of June.
And Crist continues to grow his cash on hand advantage over Welch.
Crist’s total fundraising to date for his political committee has now reached nearly $1.7 million, with more than $878,000 left on hand. Welch has raised just $354,060 to his committee, and retains just $149,000.
And Crist is putting his cash advantage to use. St. Pete Shines is running a new ad entitled “Mess” highlighting catastrophic damage resulting from back-to-back hurricanes in 2024 and a mayoral administration “missing in action.”
“After Milton and Helene hit, St. Pete was a mess. Water mains busted, homes destroyed, and City Hall was missing in action,” Crist narrates in the ad. “Recovery funds got delayed. Piles of debris never collected. Construction permits unapproved, and neighborhoods left to fend for themselves.”
The ad ends with a positive message from Crist.
“We can do better, a lot better. I know that when a hurricane hits, you don’t sit at home, you act. As Mayor, I’ll never abandon our city during a storm. That’s not a promise — that’s the job,” Crist adds.
