Alvin Brown decries algae blooms, says Al Lawson is a Big Sugar pawn

In Florida’s 5th Congressional District, the Democratic primary is continuing to heat up.

Hours before a Friday evening co-appearance in Jacksonville of incumbent U.S. Rep. Al Lawson and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Lawson’s primary opponent — former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown — issued a statement decrying algae blooms in the St. Johns River, and linking Lawson to the polluters who made such possible.

“Yet again, Florida faces a real crisis as toxic algae spread through our waterways, including our beloved St. Johns River. As we’ve seen in recent years, this outbreak can have a devastating effect on our economy, environment and public health at large, and is already impacting tourism across the state,” Brown asserted.

“It is long past time for local, state and federal officials to end the finger-pointing and get serious about the issues hurting Florida communities and families, including our children and seniors. It is shameful that moneyed special interests continue to buy and sell politicians who claim to advocate for the environment but fail to actually deliver on those promises,” Brown added.

“Unlike my opponent who’s firmly in Big Sugar’s pocket, in Congress, I will fight for long-term solutions and take on the polluters poisoning Florida’s most valuable resources and ecosystems, including our coastlines and waterways,” Brown notes.

Lawson has taken $23,500 from the sugar industry since 2016.

It remains to be seen if Jacksonville political audiences will be moved by the Big Sugar attack, given that all three incumbent state officials from the city (Senate Minority Leader-designate Audrey Gibson, Rep. Tracie Davis, and Rep. Kimberly Daniels) have all taken sugar money since June.

Florida Politics is reaching out to Lawson’s team for comment on the Brown criticism.