St. Petersburg restaurateur Mike Atwater, who's helped elect everybody from Jeb Bush to St. Pete mayors Rick Baker and Dave Fischer, is mighty fired up about Deveron Gibbons for mayor. So fired up, that no other candidates for any office, should come begging to get their campaign signs placed at his place.

“Leading up to the primary this corner, 895 22nd Ave S, this cafe, is totally exclusively putting up signs for Deveron Gibbons... We need someone who was born here, who was raised in the streets, who understands people and business. He’s young, has fresh ideas, worked with two great mayors – Rick Baker and Dave Fischer – and knows how to surround himself with great people,” said Atwater, whose endorsement for years has been among the most coveted in St. Petersburg politics. “It’s time for the Old Northeast community to spread the wealth, and for this great city to break down some barriers and walls. Deveron is not just about black people, he’s not just about Midtown, Deveron is about unifying this entire, great city”

Adam Smith, Times Political Editor

"If we allow him to lose this race, it's saying that everything we as older brothers and sisters preached - work hard, go off and get a good education, and bring those great talents back home - we lied to him," said Atwater. "When it gets down closer to the endn of this race I think i'm going to have every African-American and every white American understand that Deveron Gibbons is our guy."