Sam Brian Gibbons has a name that rings bells in Tampa's political memory.

Gibbons' grandfather was Sam Gibbons, a World War II hero who later represented the city for more than three decades in Congress before retiring in 1996.

Sam Gibbons, who died in 2012, is considered the "father of USF" for his role in establishing the University of South Florida. Tampa's federal courthouse is named after him.

So how did two weeks go by before anyone noticed his 31-year-old grandson had filed paperwork to jump into Tampa's mayoral race ? No kick off. No news release. No sizzle reel.

"I'm juggling a few things," said Gibbons, who lives in Forest Hills and is the son of Mark Gibbons.

Tampa's mayoral field is already crowded. Former County Commissioner Ed Turanchik, City Council members Harry Cohen and Mike Suarez, former police chief Jane Castor, retired banker and philanthropist David Straz Jr., small businessman Topher Morrison and political novice LaVaughn King have already announced.

Gibbons is in graduate school at USF, studying sustainable transportation and energy. And he's knocking on doors on behalf of other candidates, including Democrat Debra Bellanti, who is challenging Republican state Rep. Jackie Toledo.

Gibbons said his decision was sparked by his work in the campaign against the planned Tampa portions of the TBX Interstate 275 expansion. In his run for mayor, he plans to highlight poverty reduction and environmental protections.

"We don't have a plan to address poverty and I don't see any other candidates talking about it," said Gibbons, who is unmarried and doesn't have children.

He also wants to reduce the 200 tons of food incinerated daily at the city's McKay Bay waste-to-energy plant and use it to create high-nutrient fertilizer to feed urban gardens. It's part of a sustainability ethic he says the city lacks.

“Tampa is one of the most at-risk cities for sea level rise, we really need a plan. We don’t have one right now,” Gibbons said. “I’m frankly concerned about that. We should be leading that charge.”

So how will his link to a man remembered by many as Tampa's favorite son affect the race?

Gibbons said his grandfather told him: "The only thing I'm going to give you is a good name."

"He definitely did that. I miss him every day," Gibbons said. "I come from that legacy he left with me, there's rarely a day a don't think about him."

One lesson he remembers dates from the time he accompanied his grandfather to France for the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Sam Gibbons had taken part in the invasion, parachuting behind enemy lines.

His grandson, 8 at the time, asked about the man's philosophy.

"He told me the better you understand the problem, the better equipped you'll be to fix it," Gibbons said.

As for the quiet launch to his political career, Gibbons said no one is paying attention to the mayor's race with attention focused on the Tuesday primary election and Nov. 6 general election.

"I'm hoping to slowly build it up," Gibbons said.

He expects to launch a campaign website next week.