A.G. Gancarski
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry hasn’t endorsed in any State House race yet in this cycle, but a scheduled meeting with HD 12 candidate Clay Yarborough on Thursday raised endorsement questions.
However, the meeting ended up not happening. Marsha Oliver, Curry’s spokesperson, noted that Yarborough’s meeting was “rescheduled” and that Yarborough had “requested the meeting so we are unsure about the purpose.”
Those familiar with Mayor Curry’s political thinking affirm that Curry is not inclined to endorse anyone in the crowded HD 12 race at this point anyway, so if the purpose was to secure backing, that would go unfulfilled.
That would have been backing that Yarborough could use.
Yarborough, currently the second leading fundraiser in the HD 12 race behind Jacksonville Transportation Authority lobbyist Richard Clark, is a former City Council President whom many expected to have a City Hall job after the election last May.
Though a number of former City Council members, such as Denise Lee, Johnny Gaffney, and Robin Lumb, scored $92,000 a year jobs, Yarborough was not among that number.
Yarborough had been linked with a job in the office of the Supervisor of Elections under Mike Hogan, but they couldn’t agree to terms, claim reliable sources.
Clark’s campaign has been largely dormant since its launch. Many expect the business community to rally behind Terrance Freeman, a newcomer to the race with Jax Chamber ties. Freeman’s first campaign finance report is due in early March, and that will answer questions as to whether or not that is happening.
Whoever Curry backs in this or any race will have to have a clear grasp of Jacksonville’s agenda in Tallahassee. Any chosen candidate, more than likely, will benefit from the on-point messaging of the increasingly deep pocketed PAC of Curry supporters, Build Something That Lasts, which was instrumental to the effort that has helped Curry’s Discretionary Sales Surtax (HB 1297/SB 1652) bill clear the House and all three Senate committees thus far by resounding margins.
For now, Curry is sitting out while these fields clarify themselves. And he may end up staying neutral after all. But know this: if he backs someone, his backing will have impact.
