Ashley Moody’s Jacksonville area endorsements reveal local splits in AG race

GOP Attorney General hopeful Ashley Moody, a retired judge from Hillsborough County backed by most of the Florida Republican establishment, rolled out three meaningful Jacksonville area endorsements Thursday.

Florida State Sens. Aaron Bean and Travis Hutson and former Mayor John Delaney were the names rolled out; they join Sheriff Mike Williams (and his friend, Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels) in backing Moody.

All three new endorsers effused over Moody in statements provided by her campaign.

Bean lauded Moody’s “experience, will and muscle to put bad guys behind bars.”

Hutson used the word “conservative” three times in his statement: “As a conservative Senator from northeast Florida, I’m proud to endorse Ashley Moody. As a former judge for over ten years, Ashley believes that we must strictly follow the conservative principles of the U.S. Constitution. She is a strong believer in Christian, pro-family values and will always defend religious freedom and the rights of Christians. It is my hope that voters from all across Florida will stand behind strong conservative Ashley Moody.”

Delaney noted that “Ashley’s top priority will be to fight the prescription drug and opioid epidemic which has affected hundreds of thousands of Floridians.”

Moody, for more than a year, has cultivated Jacksonville support — notable especially because a local, state Rep. Jay Fant, was in the race.

A 2017 fundraiser saw Sheriff Williams and State Attorney Melissa Nelson, still officially neutral in this race a year later, on hand.

On the host committee: Gary Chartrand, the charter school impresario (who since has given money to Moody’s opponent); Hank Coxe, one of the leading defense lawyers in the state; Buddy Schulz, another key Nelson ally.

However, Moody does not have Northeast Florida on lock.

Her opponent, Pensacola state Rep. Frank White, has local support all his own.

Back in November, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and U.S. Rep. John Rutherford endorsed White, again despite Fant being in the race.

It helped that White, Curry, and Rutherford all work with political consultant Tim Baker. As does Rep. Jason Fischer, who endorsed this summer.

Also in with White: Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, Rep. Cord Byrd, Rep. Clay Yarborough and St. Johns Sheriff David Shoar.

There are those who see the endorsements in this race, at least in Northeast Florida, as a referendum on the Lenny Curry political machine.

Delaney (openly) and Bean (according to sources) have both expressed disquiet at times over Curry’s leadership style, which pushes the limits of even the “strong mayor” form of government.

That theory does not explain entities like Gary Chartrand and local gambling concern bestbet playing both sides, however.