Hughes Unseats Incumbent Scott in Pinellas Commission Race

Pinellas County voters shifted power in a key commission seat on Tuesday, electing a first-time candidate over a sitting Republican commissioner in a tight race. The result ends Brian Scott's tenure as the first Republican majority member of the board in nearly a decade.

Tim Hughes, a 68-year-old Democrat and Suncoast Sierra Club Conservation Committee Chair, defeated Scott by approximately one point. Hughes had lived in Clearwater for nearly three years prior to his victory and previously worked as an environmental specialist in Prince William County, Virginia. This was his first run for elected office. He campaigned on a platform to improve coordination between Pinellas County and its 24 municipalities and unincorporated areas. Hughes also proposed creating a long-term plan for a railway system connecting Tampa and Orlando.

Scott, 58, represented the entire county in his seat. He operates a charter bus company in St. Petersburg that his parents founded in the 1980s. During his term, Scott focused on transit issues, serving on the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority board which manages the county's bus system. He also advocated for a regional transportation planning organization to collaborate on infrastructure between Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. His 2022 election victory had tipped the commission to a Republican majority.

In the separate race for District 6, incumbent Commissioner Kathleen Peters defeated challenger David Glenn Jr. Peters, a 65-year-old former state House representative, secured 55.1% of the vote. The district covers south and central Pinellas, including coastal neighborhoods on both sides of the peninsula. Peters, who has pushed for a ban on large-scale data centers and mental health reform, outspent her opponent. Glenn, 56, is an architect and interior designer who has lived in the county for more than 20 years but was seeking his first elected seat.

Money played a role in the campaigns, with both incumbents raising and spending significantly more than their challengers. Scott received nearly $190,000 in individual contributions. Hughes raised about $43,000 for his campaign. The two elected commissioners will now oversee key county decisions, including the development of approximately 25 acres of county-owned property in downtown Clearwater and ongoing recovery efforts following the 2024 hurricanes.