A.G. GancarskiState Senator Aaron Bean faces no opposition thus far, but a Tuesday night fundraiser at EverBank Field suggests the Fernandina Beach Republican is leaving nothing to chance.
Virtually every important northeast Florida Republican is listed on the invite to the event.
Jaguars President Mark Lamping is the most unusual name on a list of co-chairs, which also includes Marty Fiorentino, Paul Harden and Gary Chartrand.
Former Jaguars offensive tackle Tony Boselli and local mega-donor Ed Burr are among the featured names in the list of vice-chairs.
Meanwhile, the host committee includes 29 names, and most of them are impressive.
From state Sens. Rob Bradley and Travis Hutson to state Reps. Jason Fischer, Cord Byrd, Clay Yarborough, Jay Fant, Paul Renner, and Travis Cummings, Bean has his Tallahassee colleagues on lock.
Likewise on the committee: 4th Circuit Public Defender Charles Cofer, Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams, and former sheriff and current U.S. Rep. John Rutherford.
Though it is exceedingly unlikely that Jacksonville City Councilmen will skip the budget vote Tuesday evening for a fundraiser, Councilmen Doyle Carter and Bill Gulliford likewise are on that same host committee.
Despite a stacked roster, one name is missing — that of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry.
To that end, Bean sent a letter to Curry’s office with a handwritten note: “Mayor Curry, Please come! Aaron.”
Notable: Bean and Curry were both in the mix for consideration for an appointment to replace Jeff Atwater as state CFO. Curry withdrew his name from consideration, and the job ultimately went to Jimmy Patronis.
Whether the mayor makes it or not, one has to give Bean credit for persistence.
Bean has been fundraising — and spending — thus far in the 2018 cycle.
Bean raised $10,000 and spent just over $5,000 in August, bringing him over $36,000 on hand. Of that $10,000, $4,000 came from committees associated with insurance agents, and $4,000 more from Florida East Coast Industries and affiliates.
Spending ran the gamut in August, from $4 for parking and $5.35 for a biscuit at Maple Street to $2,500 to Bascom Communications.
