Erstwhile fellow Democrat Sharon Russ, a Midtown activist, returns to her Republican roots to contest the District 7 seat.
By MICHAEL SANDLER
Published June 15, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - Sharon Russ started out as a Republican.
Over the past seven years, she became a Democrat, then a Socialist. She was even co-president of the Pinellas chapter of the National Organization for Women.
Now, Russ is back with the Republican Party, and she's challenging Democrat Ken Welch for his seat on the Pinellas County Commission.
Russ, 43, a neighborhood activist from the Midtown area and a full-time student at St. Petersburg College, announced last week she plans to take on Welch, the incumbent, in the Nov. 2 election.
She said she's traveled along the political spectrum seeking the best policies for African-Americans.
"I have a right to change my mind," said Russ, who is black and a single mother of three.
She said Democrats and other liberal groups are not helping poor people enough. She has come to favor a Republican agenda, one that advocates less government.
"The liberals always tell you the good stuff, like we are going to help the poor," Russ said. "But I saw the other side. I saw what welfare reform did to my community. I was deceived. So now I feel like I am a born-again Republican because I have seen the truth."
Russ first registered in Pinellas as a Republican in 1994. She switched to no party affiliation in 1998, then back to the Republican Party that same year. She became a Democrat in the spring of 2000, and then a Socialist during the summer. In 2001, she was co-president of NOW.
By 2002, she switched back to the Democratic Party. Then, on May 13, she registered as a Republican. Russ said she's been a member of three Republican organizations for several months.
This is her first run for public office. She considered a run for a seat on the St. Petersburg City Council a few years ago but backed out after picking up paperwork.
Russ said wants to serve on the commission so she can help keep her community better informed about local government spending and steer social service groups closer to public money that's available for job training and education.
She offered few details on how she would do either beyond broad themes.
"A lot of money comes into this county," Russ said. "I just want to make sure what is done is done fairly."
The seat represents District 7 on the commission, which encompasses the city of St. Petersburg. Only voters in the district can cast ballots in the race.
Welch is one of two African-American commissioners. He switched parties, too. In 1998, he ran unsuccessfully for the Pinellas County School Board as a Republican. He was elected in 2000 to the commission as a Democrat.
He is making his first run at re-election. He declined to comment on which political party better serves African-Americans.
"I look forward to a vigorous campaign," Welch said. "I believe that I brought strong representation to District 7 and a professional, businesslike approach to serving all the citizens of Pinellas County."
During his first term, Welch led the effort to draft a county ordinance banning fireworks. He has also served as vice chairman of the county's workforce development agency, Worknet Pinellas.
So far, he's raised more than $25,000 in campaign contributions.
There are no other candidates currently in the race. The filing deadline is July 16. The election is Nov. 2.
