A.G. Gancarski
The Duval County Republican Party elects a chair Monday night, with incumbent Karyn Morton facing a challenge from vice-chair Dean Black.
Morton has been outspoken about the failures of statewide candidates Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott, as well as about media and members of her own executive committee.
Ahead of a joint appearance at the Jacksonville Rotary Club, Jacksonville’s leading citywide elected Republicans assessed the race ahead, with neither City Council President Aaron Bowman nor Mayor Lenny Curry offering anything that could be construed as an endorsement of Morton.
Council President Bowman, as is typical, was blunt, saying it’s been a “tough year” for the local party.
The county Republican organization has had issues with fundraising, message control, and coordination with state campaigns ahead of Democrats carrying traditionally rightish Duval County in the races for Senate, Governor, and Agriculture Commissioner.
“I just want the REC to be effective and get people out to vote and support candidates that have a mission. Whoever can do that best is who I’m for,” Bowman said.
“If Karyn remains in charge, she’s going to have to step back and look at a path forward. If a new person gets in charge, they need to look and see what they’re going to do.
Bowman, who has handled business recruitment for an arm of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, acknowledged a disconnect between the donor class and the Morton-era Republican Party.
“Not a lot of synergy right now,” Bowman said.
Mayor Curry, who is a former county and state party chair, noted his “respect for whatever the membership tries to do. We look forward to working with whatever leadership looks like.
Curry, a pre-primary backer of Governor-elect Ron DeSantis, addressed his county chair’s critique of the DeSantis campaign as well.
“I haven’t talked to the DeSantis campaign about the current situation here with the local party,” Curry said. “I was proud to have been a part of the DeSantis campaign.”
Curry, who is on the ballot next year, is running his political operation independently of the local party. He has banked over $3 million for that effort, one which hasn’t seen a serious challenger yet manifest in opposition.
We asked Curry why he didn’t shift more resources to the local party, and why the donor class in general seems less interested in investing in the grassroots.
“Look, having been there, I think it’s important that the local party be able to raise money. That’s how you do what the local party is supposed to do. That is register and turnout voters,” Curry said.
“I hope that when they get through these elections they have a fundraising and a finance plan that will allow them to do the most basic things parties should be doing,” Curry added.
“I’m going to leave it up to the membership to make a decision,” Curry continued, “and I’m going to keep raising funds for my political committee to make sure that Republicans are elected citywide in the spring elections.”
“Whoever wins tonight, I look forward to working with them.”
Morton was elected chair in 2016, toppling Cindy Graves in a contested election where some Graves backers didn’t meet the threshold to vote.
Institutional donors were not thrilled: a couple left the room after the vote, and the party has struggled with fundraising since.
Morton, sources tell us, is confident that she will win. If so, she will be wise to consider the counsel from Jacksonville’s Mayor and City Council President regarding the path forward into the 2019 elections.
