A.G. Gancarski
As widely expected, Reggie Fullwood handily won the Special Election in Florida House District 13, beating Republican standard bearer Lawrence Jefferson by almost 1,100 votes. Fullwood’s margin came largely from Election Day GOTV efforts coupled with early voting — ironically, only 13 votes separated the candidates in the Vote by Mail category.
Fullwood’s victory was expected by the crowd; at 7:00 — the official start of the Election Night party — a giant card was being distributed so that well wishers could congratulate Fullwood for being elected once again. The crowd built, waiting for the confirmation of a result that was never in doubt.
The crowd milled around the room, talking as the DJ segued through a litany of hits — everything from Kool and the Gang and vintage Michael Jackson to classic Outkast — and good vibes filled the air, along with the smell of delicacies from the caterer Soul Food with a Twist.
While waiting for the candidate’s arrival, I spoke to his tireless campaign manager, Amber Holland, who was candid about the campaign.
She attributed the campaign’s fundraising success to “reaching out to supporters, building good relationships, both local and in Tallahassee.”
Then, I asked her about Fullwood’s defeated primary opponent, Johnny Gaffney. Holland said his running was just part of the “game of politics. The race was won, and we won fairly,” Holland declaimed.
Ironically, the primary seemed to be the election — despite Lawrence Jefferson’s record of accomplishments in the last quarter-century. Holland thought, regarding the Republican, that there was “nothing really challenging” about running against him. “We just made sure to communicate,” she added.
“He had no campaign — I saw one mailer,” she added, making it easier for the Fullwood campaign to reach out to its base in this low-turnout election.
7:30 came around, and Reggie Fullwood entered the room, in dress slacks and a sweater. He shook hands and gave hugs to various supporters, yet he didn’t carry himself like a politician — but with the common touch, as little kids excitedly danced to “Get Down on It” by Kool and the Gang.
I spoke to Reggie soon enough, and got his take on the challenges of the campaign, as well as the upcoming legislative session. His answers to my questions were edifying.
“Keeping people energized to turn out” was the biggest challenge, as there were many who thought there was no need, as he was “gonna win anyway.” Despite the low-turnout special election, he added, the traditional methods still worked: “absentee ballots, phone banks, and direct mail, and knocking on doors. The same things we always do.”
“Even with all that we won’t get the numbers we wanted,” he added, citing the rainy, sloggy mess that was Jacksonville weather on this election day.
Regarding Jefferson, the candidate was more circumspect than his manager.
“I don’t want to take anyone for granted,” said Fullwood. “He has a great resume and there are a good chunk of Republicans in the District” — which was reflected in the margin being closer than many not familiar with the district expected.
I asked him if Gaffney and he had mended fences, and the answer was interesting. “We haven’t talked since Election Night. He had the right to run. People run against each other, then you move on.”
Fullwood knows that he will have difficulty getting bills through due to the timing of the special election, but his priorities include education, housing, and Medicaid expansion. These may be tough sells to some Republicans, but he will continue to fight the good fight.
Precisely at 8:00, the music cut to “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled, and Reggie took the mike, not to take credit but to give thanks. He thanked a solid majority of those in the room — God, his family, his friends, his campaign team, his legislative team, and canvassers. What was clear: whether they were family or not, they felt like family.
“We won as a team. We worked together. This was a team effort,” he said with conviction.
He gave special recognition to his wife (“the most important woman in my life”) and his mother, who has “always been a rock, ready to sacrifice, to be a strong mother.”
He alluded to “funny stories and sad stories” he’d heard on the current campaign, telling one in detail, about a voter he met while walking door to door, who told him “you’d better take me to the polls — I’ve got some liquor at home, and I’m going to drink it if you don’t take me now.”
To which he replied: “OK, let’s go.”
