A.G. GancarskiGrand Park is a neighborhood that is a study in contrasts. The Northwest Jacksonville neighborhood is a hotspot for both violent and property crime. Local news has bestowed it an infamous reputation. Yet Sunday afternoon, Grand Park’s streets brimmed with activity that was entirely legal.
Families congregated in yards. In the street, on portable basketball goals, kids played spirited games of pickup hoops. Well, mostly kids. One players, in a white shirt and blue tie, was sheriff’s candidate Ken Jefferson, who would be sleeping over in the area in a tour bus used by his campaign.
Jefferson, a track star at Ribault High School decades ago, went one-on-one with a kid. Jefferson had height on the youngster, but what struck me was the spin move that came after some fancy streetball style dribbling. He faked the kid out, got about 6 feet away from the basket, let loose a modified jump shot. Nothing but net.
His triumphant cry went out: “Money!”
For Jefferson, the night he was preparing to spend in Grand Park wasn’t a publicity stunt, but was instead a continuation of a lifelong commitment to the community.
“I never left the neighborhood,” he told Florida Politics. “I’ve been doing things over here throughout my entire life. We want to be out here, finding out people’s concerns.”
He already knows a lot of them. He pointed out burglar bars on the front windows of many homes along West 28th Street, not installed for decoration.
“What saddens me are that the majority of homes are imprisoned with burglar bars. It shouldn’t be like that,” he said.
A developing theme of the campaign has emerged: that Jefferson relies on the emotional appeal whereas Mike Williams makes a more data-driven argument for his own election.
“Data can be helpful, but when people know you care, that’s when you get real data,” Jefferson said. Even as he spoke with this reporter, people came up to greet him and show support.
“This race is about active leadership. I can’t wait until May 19th to show that leadership,” he said. “Children are being murdered” in Grand Park and similar neighborhoods.
“I’m recognized and respected throughout the community. They’ll listen to me. I don’t have all the answers, but I can listen and try to help them with their problems,” he said.
During the early part of his walk, it was clear Jefferson was connecting with the community. A 46-year resident of the neighborhood flagged Jefferson down to say he was voting for the Democrat. Families throughout the neighborhood, white and black alike, showed support for the candidate in the race who, one said, speaks to their concerns about the “lost generation” and the “veil of violence” that cloaks Jacksonville.
This is exactly the kind of appeal Jefferson has to make. Though the endorsement of Jimmy Holderfield, the former Fraternal Order of Police endorsed-candidate, should help with fundraising, Jefferson has lagged behind his runoff opponent in terms of fundraising for this entire campaign.
It’s an open question whether Jefferson will get any financial help from the sources Alvin Brown is tapping into, especially on the PAC level. A couple of hundred thousand dollars would be a huge deal in the sheriff’s race. For now, Jefferson’s campaign relies on local fundraising. And as Grand Park demonstrated, local outreach.
