‘Stop Donald Trump,’ Anna Brosche’s pitch to Dems in Jax Mayor’s race

While the Jacksonville mayoral race lacks a Democratic candidate, the major Republican hopefuls are pitching to Democrats — in their own ways.

For incumbent Lenny Curry, key endorsements helped. On Friday, U.S. Rep. Al Lawson become the latest Democrat to back Curry. More will follow.

However, in some key aspects, Democratic grassroots energy is going Brosche’s way.

For example, Friday evening has former state House candidate Tracye Polson hosting a fundraiser for Brosche.

Central to Polson’s pitch: Electing Anna Brosche would help “stop” President Donald Trump.

“If we want to stop Trump, we must help elect her,” Polson asserted. “Lenny Curry headed the Florida Republican Party and delivered Florida for Trump,”

Note: Curry did not head the Florida GOP in 2016. He was already Jacksonville Mayor. He did host a portion of a Trump rally in 2016, however.

When contacted Friday morning, the Brosche campaign was not quite as enthusiastic about dumping Trump as Polson’s email suggested.

“Different groups have different perspectives of why Anna is the right candidate to lead our city. She [is] committed to Jacksonville, [its] future, and all of its people,” declared consultant Ryan Wiggins.

“Unlike the current Mayor,” Wiggins added, “Anna has no intention of tangling herself in the divisive nature of national partisan politics.”

Since entering the race four weeks ago, Brosche accelerated her appeal to Democrats.

Most notably. Scott Arceneaux, the longtime former chair of the Florida Democratic Party, is now aboard the Brosche campaign as a consultant.

“We are thrilled to have Scott’s incredible talents on board to help Anna,” Wiggins said.

“She is running her campaign the way she intends to run the city,” she added, “with a team consisting of professionals on both sides of the political divide working together for a common goal.”

For the Brosche campaign to make the sale to Democrats, time is running short.

Jacksonville City Councilman Garrett Dennis, state Rep. Tracie Davis, and Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson have publicly offered support for Brosche in varying ways, as has Polson.

With no Democrat in the race, their support is key to a full-court press to make the support of prominent Democrats permeate to those voters less plugged into the drama of Jacksonville’s City Hall.

Worth watching: Whether former Democratic Mayor Alvin Brown, who narrowly lost four years ago to Curry, gets involved on behalf of Brosche.

Also, keep an eye out for more Democratic elected officials to follow Lawson’s lead.