GOP convention to Jacksonville? A Lenny Curry 'plot', says Audrey Gibson

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Bad blood between Curry, Gibson continues.

Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson, a Jacksonville Democrat, was unsparing in her critique of part of the Republican National Convention coming to the city.

Though the deal is not sealed, all indications are that the Northeast Florida city has the inside track on potentially hosting President Donald Trump‘s acceptance speech.

“My emotions aren’t complicated. They’re very clear,” Gibson said Thursday about the bid to host the event.

“I have no qualms about saying that this is something I don’t agree with,” the Senator added. “The interesting thing is that the reason this is happening in the first place is because the Governor of North Carolina wants to keep his people safe!”

“And so we’re going to endanger our folks,” Gibson added, “by gathering … because that is what Mr. Trump wants.”

“Jacksonville, Duval County is a swing county in a swing state,” she added. “Duval County went blue in the last election.”

While that is true, in 2019 the local party did not run a Mayoral candidate, suggesting a lack of confidence in the ability to parlay the November advantage.

“The major issue is that we have a divisive person in the White House … First of all, I think that it’s a plot,” the Senator added.

That conspiracy, Gibson said, was “orchestrated.”

“I don’t think Mr. Curry decided on his own to offer Jacksonville as a place for Mr. Trump to deliver his acceptance speech,” Gibson said. “I was hoping it would not happen.”

While the event is “still up in the air,” the Senator emphasized her opposition in closing her remarks.

Curry and Gibson have not worked as a unit in the last five years, and this divergence of views is just part of a larger disagreement between the two.

But for Curry and Gov. Ron DeSantis, a convention in the Bold City would be welcomed. “We welcome the opportunity to host the GOP convention in Jacksonville. A $100 million local impact event would be important for our city as an event/convention destination. The City is ready for world-class events & ready to show the world we are open for business,” Curry tweeted earlier this month.“The shape of the epidemic is just simply going to be different, and hopefully it’s a lot better, but I think we’ll be able to make those decisions about what precautions need to be taken as you get closer,” DeSantis said. “But to just rule out a convention at this stage, I think, is a mistake so we’ve said we want to get to ‘yes’ on it and I think we’ll be able to do it.

The decision could be imminent. If it happens, Jacksonville is on the clock, the same week the city passed LGBT rights legislation (again) and tore down a Confederate monument.

The opportunity comes after the President balked at a limited capacity event.

Trump put the Tarheel State and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on notice weeks ago but has yet to make a decision about whether Jacksonville or another city gets the main event.

“Gov. Cooper is still in Shelter-In-Place Mode, and not allowing us to occupy the arena as originally anticipated and promised. Would have showcased beautiful North Carolina to the World, and brought in hundreds of millions of dollars, and jobs, for the State. Because of [Gov. Cooper], we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention,” Trump tweeted last month.

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18 comments

Jj
June 11, 2020 at 2:23 pm

She shouldn’t be voicing her personal opinion but voicing the opinions of her constituents
- Carolyn Ramos
  June 11, 2020 at 3:05 pm
  
  She is just another Donothing Politician.
- Michael
  June 11, 2020 at 6:06 pm
  
  I’m one of her constituents. She is voicing our opinion
- Shirley Evans
  June 14, 2020 at 9:02 pm
  
  Everyone else voice theirs when they want to. It’s not a safe idea. Lives are more important than any amount of money.
Sonja Fitch
June 11, 2020 at 4:03 pm

Looting Lenny is pushing this to distract from looting Lenny being the prime mover and shaker behind the JEA crimes! Looting Lenny does not care if the numbers of covid is going up and deaths and hospitalizations are going up! Looting Lenny always has a personal motive just like traitor trump!
- Randy Cowart
  June 14, 2020 at 12:45 pm
  
  She’s another affirmative action RACIST! And the country is decimated because of ignorant emotional vessels like her that literally ‘do nothing’ but elevate drama w/o helping the communities in ways that promote initiative and results!
Kelly In Neptune
June 11, 2020 at 4:06 pm

How come Republicans didn’t ask for the public’s input on hosting the event?

I’m sure we already know the answer: Curry doesn’t care what Jacksonville residents think.

Curry has decided to ignore heath advisories from professionals and proven science to instead pander to a very ridiculous president who is likely to be voted out in a landslide in November. Clearly, public safety means nothing to Curry, but pleasing Desantis and Fatso is what really matters to him.
- Eddie Harville
  June 13, 2020 at 11:29 am
  
  You need come to the reality,that President Trump will be president for 8 yrs.Dont wast the taxpayers money buying balloons and celebration,like you did with Hilary.
Sonja Fitch
June 11, 2020 at 5:43 pm

News flash. AX HANDLE Saturday in Jacksonville happened 60 years ago the day currently being considered by theRNC. The kkk beat the hell out of the blacks on AX HANDLE Saturday in Jacksonville!
- Seriously?
  June 12, 2020 at 8:01 am
  
  “the blacks”?
  - OpenBook
    June 12, 2020 at 8:57 am
    
    Right!!?? Ignorant
Charlotte Greenbarg
June 12, 2020 at 7:38 am

Far left provocateurs busy this morning. Gibson was the person who parroted the lie after Parkland. On the Senate floor she actually said the deputies that didn’t go in to save lives were “establishing a perimeter “. Anything she says should be measured against that infamous comment
Harold Finch
June 12, 2020 at 2:36 pm

I watched firsthand over the last 16 years the ineffectiveness and ignorance of Audrey Gibson. She is useless, very partisan and has done nothing to help her District.
Kelli Henderson
June 13, 2020 at 10:07 am

Unfortunately, the Same holds true for Georgians and our less than smart Governor Kemp.

Neither Political Party is asking their constituents in Savannah nor Jacksonville for opinions regarding a RNC Convention without masks and social distancing in a large arena setting. The same problems and concerns of Covid-19 spreading is still concerning, even if it was a DNC Convention.

However, President Trump is oblivious to the Coronavirus Pandemic by choice, and how it continues to effect Americans, as we’re trying to survive and cope with problems amid this Covid-19 Era. I honestly no longer believe that President Trump has ever been worried about us nor our plight of risking life, just to eat. His precious Stock Market and Wall Street buddies is all our President cares for in 2020.
Trump’s re-election is more of a priority for him than creating Unity amongst Americans and fighting the good fight against our invisible enemy, Coronavirus. He’s jeopardizing lives everyday with his rhetoric of *We’ve won! We beat the Covid-19 Virus!”, which by all accounts is a blatant lie for Political purposes ONLY.
cheryl Harrington
June 13, 2020 at 6:08 pm

I live on Jacksonville. It is a beautiful town. We are not that sick here. I am totally against Trump coming here and the RNC.
Trump and DeSantis is a click and went for Jacksonville because we are a good town. Mayor Curry should be ashamed because our town needs to be protected not exploited! The Mayor is talking about the money money money that would be good for our town. No he needs to listen to the person in North Carolina who won’t let them come in and do the same.
Also, there’s the terrorist group Altifa. They would do alot of damage to our City. I would absolutely be heart broken to see our City burning down.
The Mayor shouldn’t let them come here but it’s all about money. I pray Mayor Curry will not to this because I get a real bad feeling about this situation. I’m going to call the Mayor’s office and send a email. Maybe other citizens who are against this will do the same thing.
Rodney
June 14, 2020 at 2:19 am

My personal opinio about this nonsense of President Trump coming to Jacksonville Florida is that we dont or should not come here at all. Im pissed about this crap. Another thing is this so called Mayor Lenny Curry is that he is the biggest JOKE and piece of crap i have ever seen in my life. Once again i called him a joke because he is a joke. He opens bars back up saying that they are essential. Thats a crock of crap. Bars are not an essential. Then this dumbbutt wont even open the tag agencies up in jacksonville because he doesn’t think that a tag agency is essential. News flrash he is dam stupid.
Matt Mand
June 14, 2020 at 3:41 pm

The human centipede starts at Trump and continues thru Scott, DeSantis, and Curry. It’s no secret that Curry wants the governorship when the time is up because he knows he can’t take on Rubio and South Florida. Sadly he is playing DeSantis’ puppet. The Florida reputation keeps going because of decisions like this. No regards to the community or the public they put at risk. Workers don’t have a choice unlike the attendees. All this for a symbolic coronation? Beyond common sense!
Will
June 14, 2020 at 5:19 pm

This fight is about church and state. The 2 wasn’t meant to be mixed. #TimeToAwake