ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Eight candidates have qualified to run for mayor of St. Petersburg in the city’s municipal elections. The primary is this Tuesday, August 24.

8 On Your Side sat down with seven of the eight candidates (we did not hear back from Michael Ingram) and asked them all the same five questions:

  • In your opinion, what is the number one issue facing St. Petersburg today?
  • Walk me through the first 100 days of your administration if you win.
  • What is the future of the Tampa Bay Rays, and what role should the city take in trying to keep them? Do you support a split season model? Should the city build them a stadium?
  • Should students wear masks in schools? Would you institute a city-wide mask mandate if you could?
  • Mayor Rick Kriseman has had what many have called an adversarial relationship with Governor Ron DeSantis. Do you support that approach? Or do you prefer an approach that’s less critical, like Tampa Mayor Jane Castor? Which kind of mayor would you be?

Below are the full interviews with the candidates. We asked them to keep their answers to one minute.