Equality Florida's Action PAC scores Jax candidates, doesn't endorse only openly gay one

Equality Florida’s Action PAC is out with its list of recommendations on candidates running for office in Jacksonville, based on whether or not they support expanding the city’s human rights ordinance to cover the LGBT community.

Jacksonville is one of the only major U.S. cities left not to have codified protections against discrimination in jobs, housing and employment for this class of citizens.

The HRO notoriously failed by one vote on the City Council several years ago, and it’s become an issue again, with candidates for mayor and City Council increasingly expected to define their positions one way or the other.

The Equality PAC supports Bill Bishop for mayor (he’s the only candidate in the race thus far to take a clear position on the matter, as incumbent Mayor Alvin Brown and challenger Lenny Curry have avoided specific statements) and for the Council, here’s who made their list:

• Tommy Hazouri (former mayor, Candidate for At Large Group 3)
• Michelle Tappouni (At Large Group 5)
• Melody Shacter (District 1)
• Lisa King (District 2)
• Marc McCullough (District 7)
• Terry Fields (District 8)
• Lynn Sherman (District 8)
• Glorious Johnson (District 9)
• Jim Love (District 14).

“It’s great that Equality Florida Action PAC has highlighted the human rights record of candidates in the upcoming Jacksonville elections,” said Jacksonville lawyer Jimmy Midyette, a prominent voice for the community. “As the statewide organization working on equality for the LGBT community, their continued attention to Jacksonville is most welcome by those of us living here and working on passing an HRO update that includes protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.”

Meanwhile, the e-blast from Equality Florida placed a large red X beside the names of Kimberly Daniels, Matt Schellenberg, Reggie Brown and Doyle Carter, all of whom are running to retain their Council seats and oppose the updated HRO.

Strikingly, there is no endorsement of James Eddy, running for the District 7 Council seat (along with a slew of other candidates). Eddy is the only openly gay candidate running for office in Jacksonville. And he’s frustrated and disappointed with the process.

“I’m a filed candidate and I’ve worked to help Equality Florida. But they picked a candidate in my race, that even though he filled out their questionnaire, I don’t believe he actually supports the HRO the way I do,” Eddy said.

“For example, last time around, Johnny Gaffney got a 100% ranking from Equality Florida based on the questionnaire,” he said. “But during the vote on the HRO, he switched at the last minute, which caused the measure to fail.”

Gaffney’s vote on the HRO was decisive. After the 2012 cliffhanger decision, the former city councilman said he had been bombarded with emails, letters and calls from constituents opposed to the bill.

In three short years, though, the climate has shifted in Jacksonville and statewide. Marriage equality is now the law of the land across Florida (despite ongoing flaps over courthouse weddings).  And candidates standing for election are being forced to take positions.

Said Midyette, “The candidates listed by Equality Florida, each of whom is excellent, represent a small portion of candidates that have, one, filled out Equality Florida’s candidate questionnaire, and two, have raised enough money to be competitive in their races in the judgment of Equality Florida.  It’s the case that more candidates than those listed are in support of the fully inclusive human rights ordinance.”

He added, “The Northeast Florida LGBT Leadership PAC is busy completing its endorsement process. We’ll have more to say about our recommendations in these races early next week. If the LGBT community learned anything during the push to pass the HRO three years ago, it was that we must participate in the political process and work to elect candidates for City Council and mayor who offer Jacksonville more than political doublespeak and tepid support on issues of concern to the LGBT community.”