A.G. Gancarski
With recent in-house polling suggesting that Lenny Curry has a slight lead over incumbent Mayor Alvin Brown, the Curry camp sent out an email promoting its latest television ad, a spot that started airing Thursday.
The email also advances the campaign’s “closing argument,” which is suffused with a “positive vision” for Jacksonville, contrasting his argument with Brown’s “campaign ads that sling mud, distort facts, and, in at least one example, try to racially divide Jacksonville.”
That last reference is to a radio ad that was ubiquitous on urban radio, one that Democratic Councilwoman Denise Lee bashed as an exercise in race-baiting, and demanded that the Brown campaign pull the spot from the air. The Brown campaign demurred comment on Lee’s claims.
In contrast, the Curry campaign contends its man has advanced an “optimistic vision of where Jacksonville can go with new, qualified leadership.” Part of that optimistic vision has been a deliberate choice to eschew negative messaging since the First Election, instead allowing Curry’s wife, father, and former Gov. Jeb Bush to make an affirmative case for Curry’s election.
The current commercial is summed up by the email:
“Lenny shares his closing argument for Jacksonville families. He renews his commitment to make Jacksonville a safe place again by making public safety his first priority as mayor. He also reminds us that as an accountant and businessman, he is uniquely qualified to bring back sound fiscal management.
“With news reports of secret deals for Alvin Brown’s campaign donors — millionaires and even billionaires — plus stories indicating more than half a billion dollars of accounting errors in city finances, Lenny is prepared to clean up the mess starting on Day 1. His plan for an emergency, 90-day audit is the first step and has been lauded by small business owners and job creators as exactly what Jacksonville needs.”
The transcription for the ad is also provided:
Jacksonville can do better. With public safety as my top priority, I’ll stop the surge of violence by putting more police on the streets. As an accountant, I’ll tell you how every dollar is spent and stop secret deals for insiders. This city is where my dreams have come true. As your mayor, I’ll work every day so you have that same opportunity. I’m Lenny Curry and I am asking for your vote.
With Early Voting starting in Jacksonville on Monday, it is clear that the Curry campaign has resolved to take the high road in messaging. It has avoided negative advertising since a week before the First Election.
Despite that, the Alvin Brown campaign continues to paint Curry as a “partisan Party Boss.” In an email heralding the Bill Bishop endorsement, the campaign said that “Lenny Curry, on the other hand, continues to make partisan attacks to divide the city and win favor with only his most extreme supporters.”
Recent polling suggests that at least half of eligible voters must qualify as Curry’s “most extreme supporters.”
