St. Pete Council: Bennett's opponent drops out

ST. PETERSBURG – Chris Kelly, the City Council candidate in District 5, ended his campaign to unseat council chairman Jamie Bennett (at left) today, saying he’s too worn out to continue his grass roots challenge. Kelly, 41, said the constant summer politicking has rendered him an ineffective opponent. He already has lost 35 pounds – from 225 pounds this summer to 190 today – and visited a doctor for exhaustion.

"You’ll never win one of these races if you’re running on three volts,” said Kelly, whose fiery issues-based candidacy had been replaced by a more haggard, subdued version in recent weeks. “I’m told I am an engaging person, but it’s absolutely disappearing.”

Kelly formally withdrew in an e-mail to the City Clerk Monday morning. His decision set off a late morning scramble to figure out what happens next.

Would Bennett, who is seeking his second full, four-year term, be re-elected automatically? Would Debra Johnson Woodard, who finished third in the Sept. 11 primary, replace Kelly on the citywide fall ballot? The answer, thanks a quirk in local election laws, is neither.

According to city election law, voters Nov. 6 will have to choose between Bennett or a new election. But how to do that is creating a problem for city officials.

“If I can’t beat myself (in the election), I don’t think I deserve to win in the first place,” said a joking Bennett, who still intends on mounting what amounts to a curtailed campaign.

UPDATE: City attorney John Wolfe says the city has basically two options. Keep Kelly's name on the ballot and count any votes for him as "new election." Or switch out Kelly's name for "new election," which would cost more since at least 5,000 absentee ballots already have been mailed. City officials are trying to schedule a special meeting of council to debate the options.

Comments

Bennett is a great city leader. Kelley is a nice guy for trying, but clearly no match against a veteran council leader popular across the city.

"If I can’t beat myself..."

That's just too damn easy....

The ultimate, guaranteed way to lose weight...run for a political office like sheriff.

Heck, Kelly could have won using that line alone…

“No, no, no… Mr. Bennett… you’ve done a fine job of beating yourself for the past four years… it’s the only thing that’s kept you and Tricky Rick from completely screwing St. Pete…”

Has anyone considered the costs that will be imposed on the tax payers for Kelly's "exhaustion"!!!!! New ballots "should" be mailed by the Election Board, plus add the cost of 1st class postage!!!! This is an outrage! Kelly - YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF!!!!!

Has anyone considered what a real wuss Kelly is? What was the last election turn out, 11%?… How exhausting can it be to walk three streets of a neighborhood?

Anyone who pusses out for losing 20 lbs would not make a good leader of a boy scout troop… let alone a community.

What a fem…

No harm done, Bennett’s good people.

Dropping out for dropping 20 lbs? Gotta be more to it than that. Me thinks me smells a public bathroom… and a wide stance!

I smell a buy-out.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/09/24/scientology.city.ap/index.html

So tell me Jamie, how long before they own your town too... Hibbard seems to think it's just fine. They seem to be moving heavily into St. Pete... Your thoughts, Jamie?

[Christopher]

As someone who assited Chris Kelly in the Primary, I can say that he was not organized and wasn't prepared for this election. Clearly, unless he's over 6 foot tall, he was overweight and needed to loose 20lbs.

is he a sci-fi?

“Ouch… I broke a nail”… “I won’t be able to go on, it’ssss just too hard!” … “For Heavensssss sssake, I’ve already worn out one pair of Versace’s”

What a girl….

[Tom]

I am sorry to see Chris leave the race. He has some great ideas on fighting crime and cutting wasteful spending.

We need more regular people to run and serve.

Cutting wasteful spending????

Maybe he shouldn't have run in the first place and backed out of an election- think of taxpayer money being wasted now for his silly little ego trip!

Is John Wolfe an election law expert?

You know that "new election" would win.

"You’ll never win one of these races if you’re running on three volts,” said Kelly,

How many volts is a human supposed to have?

I didn't know he was the scientology candidate. They only run on 2 volts.

If the city recalls the absentee ballots, then will they also refund the candidates in all races the money they spent on absentee ballot mail chasers? Whoops, that is probably another $35,000 give or take.

[ME]

Bennett is the best councilman on the board. He makes logical decisions and is "working class folk". He doesn't touch children either.

Didn't Chris Kelly's campaign talk about Community-driven solutions? Sounds like he ran out of gas. My vote is for Bennett.

Playing shuffleboard doesn't get you in shape for canvassing apparently.

[Claudette Bousquet]

If Jamie is half as good as a City Councilman as he is a Son-In-Law you should just give him the election.