A.G. Gancarski
A new ad from the Northeast Florida Committee for Principled Government, an ECO, tells Public Defender Matt Shirk that two terms are enough and “the party’s over.”
John Daigle, who runs the ECO and the campaign of Shirk’s GOP primary opponent, Charles Cofer, notes “this campaign was funded in large part by legal community leaders from both parties who were big Matt Shirk supporters in his previous races. Those donors include John Kalil and Howard Coker, among others. This is not a Charlie Cofer campaign initiative.”
The 30-second spot, hitting Jacksonville television Monday, maligns Shirk for an “entitlement mentality” that means he’s not fit for office.
Among the charges: Shirk had to pay a former client who sued over work not done; Shirk was judged by a grand jury as having indulged in “reckless behavior” in office, including asking female employees to shower with him; and Shirk’s resignation was recommended by that same grand jury.
The most recent campaign finance reports for Daigle’s ECO, which go through Aug. 5, do not reflect fundraising or expenditure on this ad.
On the hard money side, Cofer has raised over $177,000, compared to just over $43,000 for the incumbent.
Cofer maintains a $16,552 cash-on-hand advantage, having spent aggressively in this campaign, including over $47,000 in mailers, video production, and a media buy on Aug. 1.
