NAPLES, Fla. — The man who hopes to become the next mayor of Naples wants to eliminate drag queens from outside in public at venues like the city’s pride event.

This comes after Naples pride organizers this year were forced to move their drag show indoors after a backlash from the community.

Ted Blankenship is currently a Naples councilmember, who publicly opposed a drag show being held outdoors last year during the city’s pride event. He said he’s running for mayor to make sure the drag shows aren’t held publicly in the City of Naples.

“Having them around a place where families and children want to go to enjoy a Saturday together is not a good idea,” Blankenship stated.

It’s a measure he believes most Naples residents support.

“We did have hundreds of people show up at our council meetings, two or three times to protest the drag show element,” Blankenship recalled.

Naples resident Joanne Guerrini said if someone doesn’t want to attend a drag show they should simply not go and said the idea of drag in public doesn’t bother her.

What bothers Guerrini and is of more importance is the city’s overdevelopment.

“I would like the building to stop. I feel that it’s just overcrowded,” Guerrini said.

It’s a concern Blankenship said he also shares and will campaign on.

“We’re facing a lot of pressures from traffic and developmental issues we need to address,” he noted.

He also wants to pay employees more in hopes they’ll stay in Naples.  He said the city is having a hard time attracting and keeping workers.

“We need to address salary issues promptly, particularly in our police force,” Blankenship said.

His opponent, Gary Price, announced this month he’s running and focusing on police and fire issues as well.

“Public safety is a priority; that we get the police and fire the equipment they need,” Price noted.

He stated Monday in a release to ABC7 that based on community feedback he has received, residents are looking for a much different path than the one the city is currently on.

Current Mayor Teresa Heitmann hasn’t filed to run yet. ABC7 reached out to ask if she plans to.

Our calls weren’t returned.

At 6 p.m., Blankenship kicked off his campaign at Barker Park.