A.G. Gancarski
While waiting for Lenny Curry and his family to arrive at Southside United Methodist Church, Curry spokesman Brian Hughes asked me to get out a calculator, to demonstrate that the Democratic advantage in raw vote totals was indeed shrinking. I subtracted the raw Republican vote totals from those on the Democrat side, and the spread was 3,400, a net gain on the day for the GOP, which suggests that Tuesday night might be more interesting for return watchers than it seemed Monday evening.
About 9:30 a.m., the Curry family showed up in a white SUV: Lenny and his wife Molly, and their three children. Surrounded by them, the Republican nominee exhibited good spirits, looking forward to what the day’s voting might bring.
“I feel good,” he said, “more optimistic” all the time. When asked where he saw himself at the end of the night, he said: “Mayor Elect.”
The polls suggest a runoff is inevitable. Curry is more optimistic, though. “I’m running to win,” he said, “listening and talking to people.” He acknowledged Mayor Alvin Brown‘s other challengers, NPA Omega Allen and fellow Republican Bill Bishop, saying that “all three [challengers] agree that change is needed.”
When asked about the effect of Election Day on his family of five, Curry said simply that it was a “normal day in the Curry household.”
Finally, when asked whether he would recalibrate his message in the event a runoff election happened, Curry said that he would “continue sharing his vision” with Jacksonville voters by emphasizing his plan.
Results start coming in after polls close at 7 p.m. Check back with this site for reports from the three mayoral campaign parties being held. Kevin Meerschaert will be at the Bishop party in Riverside. Melissa Ross will be downtown with Brown, And I will be at the Curry celebration. Before that, Melissa and I will be on WJCT-FM radio, which also can be heard on the Internet.
