Undercapitalized Duval GOP sets course for 2018 election

Two sheets of paper illustrate the gap between current reality and future needs for the Republican Party of Duval County.

The first sheet of paper shows the Duval GOP’s current financial situation. Spoiler alert: they may need to hold a bake sale soon.

July was not a huge month for “income,” with $94 coming in. Nor was it a huge month for “expenses,” with office supplies, rent, and storage leading to $954 in expenses.

All told, the party had $5,506 on hand at the end of July.

That won’t be enough to execute what apparently is a plan for the 2018 election cycle, one that will require $116,260 to pull off.

Now, it remains to be seen how important the local party will be in 2018 — there are no local elections, and top-of-the-ticket statewide candidates will have their own political operations. And, if recent history tells us anything, the Democrats won’t make a serious play locally for their statewide candidates.

With those caveats, the plan is below.

Of that $116K, just over $13,000 is earmarked for rent and equipment for the permanent office. Just over $18,000 for the campaign office.

The party is going to buy (not lease) a “high speed color copier printer” ($5,000). The party also has $6,000 slated for a “Christmas Party” (which, given that developer Toney Sleiman is still on board, probably will end up being an in-kind donation of space at the Jacksonville Landing).

Printing and postage — materials targeted to new residents, NPAs, and independents — will require $29,100.

Targeted digital advertising and social media ads: $24,000. With just $1,000 of that spend on social media advertising.

We understand also that the annual Lincoln Day celebration — a key rainmaker — will be phased out in favor of a “speakers’ series.”

We also understand that Jacksonville City Council President Anna Brosche, lauded by the party chair when she took the Council Presidency this year, was criticized at this week’s meeting for her current position that Jacksonville might want to reconsider the placement of Confederate monuments at some indeterminate point in the future.

Brosche walked back her original position that they should be removed, but that didn’t matter apparently.