Former St. Pete mayoral candidate Scott Wagman insists his $250 contribution to Bill Foster's campaign isn't an full fledged endorsement, but does say that he thinks Foster is the right choice in next Tuesday's election.

When asked by CL why he opted to contribute to Foster's campaign, Wagman said he feels that if elected, Foster would be willing to listen to him on certain issues, and said his financial support shows his depth of sincerity in wanting to work with Foster.

Of Kathleen Ford, Wagman said he's known her personally and professionally and says he thinks she's a terrific wife and mother.  However he says she didn't shoot straight with him before this year's campaign, saying  "three times she told me she wasn't running for Mayor.  The proper thing she should have said was she was considering it. " And he doesn't think she'll work well with others, saying, "she just doesn't take advise or listen to other views."

Wagman was critical of both Foster and Ford for appearing on Bubba The Love Sponge's radio program earlier this month, saying  it showed bad judgement on both candidates part, but especially Ford, who said earlier this week that she was set up by the shock jock when she quoted Princeton professor Cornel West on the HNIC (Head Negro in Charge)

theory when speaking about former Police Chief Goliath Davis.

Meanwhile, the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office reports that officially over a third of all registered voters in St. Petersburg have already voted before Tuesday's election.  19,440 registered voters have sent in their ballots.  That's  33.5% of the electorate.

As far as any future run for office, the business executive said that he doesn't see that happening, though he said he's been "recruited" by Democratic party officials to run for state senate or Congress.  "I've not earned that time or service" he said to run over other candidate.

He also said that there are certain things a politician must do to earn the trust of the populace, and "I'm not willing to put in the work to earn that broad based trust."

This article appears in Oct 29 – Nov 4, 2009.