A.G. Gancarski
Even during a slow week in Jacksonville politics, there is no shortage of new news from the campaign trail, as one prominent city councilor launched his re-election bid, while two other veteran politicians launched new campaigns.
In Council District 4, incumbent Republican Scott Wilson filed for re-election this week, a move that was not in doubt.
Wilson, who currently is without opposition, was sworn in as Jacksonville City Council Vice-President last week.
In 2015, Wilson defeated Democrat Ramon Day in the May general election, with 63 percent of the vote in a heavily Republican-leaning district.
Wilson intends to be Jacksonville City Council President next year.
.@scottwilsonjax sworn in. “My goal is to prepare to lead this body” next year. And so the 2019/20 leadership race begins!
— AG GANCARSKI (@AGGancarski) June 28, 2018
In Jacksonville City Council District 8, where incumbent Democrat Katrina Brown is running for re-election despite a federal fraud indictment and subsequent gubernatorial suspension from the body, a familiar face returns to vie for the seat.
Democrat Terry Fields, who has not won an election for a decade, joins a field that includes eight active candidates (seven Democrats, and one NPA).
Thus far, the field is diffuse and lightly financed: one candidate, Tameka Gaines-Holly ($24,202) has raised over $10,000.
Fields has lost races in recent years for the state Senate (2011 special election), this Council seat (2015), and a state House seat (2016).
Fields is one of a number of applicants to fill in incumbent Katrina Brown’s position on the Council through the election. Gov. Rick Scott has yet to make his selection.
Finally, recurrent Republican candidate Henry Mooneyhan is officially in the increasingly crowded and expensive race in Jacksonville City Council District 14.
The field has two Republicans and two Democrats currently, with the fundraising lead held by Randy DeFoor, a Republican backed by the Lenny Curry political machine; DeFoor has $107,000 on hand.
The leading Democratic fundraiser in the race, Sunny Gettinger, has roughly $65,000 on hand.
Mooneyhan has run for office before, but has not demonstrated fundraising traction, nor traction with District 14 voters.
He last ran for this seat in 2011, and raised just over $12,000, finishing fifth behind eventual general election winner Jim Love, two other Republicans, and NPA candidate Shelton Hull.
