Staff Reports
Winners and losers
If you’re reading this, congratulations! You made it through yet another primary season in Northeast Florida.
That’s a given.
Less obvious is who won or lost.
A prime example: Folks around Mayor Lenny Curry will tell you they won.
How can they say that? They didn’t want nemesis Matt Schellenberg on the Duval County School Board, and the former City Councilman lost that race. Likewise, they weren’t thrilled about former Council President Scott Wilson becoming Clerk of Courts, so that election was never even close, with Jody Philips breezing to victory without ever having to say a word on his own behalf in ads.
But for once, the machine wasn’t the ultimate winner.
As compared to 2019, when Curry got the Democratic Party to stand down and not oppose his reelection, Democrats had their say — and their day.
Democrats outperformed Republicans in terms of voter turnout, especially early voting and because of that, there is likely one person who won countywide: new County Judge Rhonda Peoples Waters, defeating Erin Perry, a former Rick Scott appointee to the same bench.
Expect elections for a judgeship to get more interesting going forward … and a number of younger Black lawyers to mount campaigns.
Meanwhile, losers … there were a few.
Democratic Rep. Kim Daniels, cozy with GOP money, got bounced in her primary against Angie Nixon.
Republican Clay County Sheriff Darryl Daniels, after a suspension by Gov. Ron DeSantis, was purged by voters, exhausted by a combination of scandal and a lack of remorse from the county’s chief lawman.
However, given Daniels’ issues, one could surmise there are winners here too, including the Jacksonville office of the State Attorney, which had a frayed dynamic with the mercurial sheriff.
What does all this mean going into November?
For Jacksonville Democrats, there is an opportunity to carry the county for Joe Biden. If that doesn’t happen, they will have underperformed.
As for Jacksonville Republicans, there must be a realization that GOP dominance may not be a sustainable construct past the current group in City Hall and whatever state-level gerrymandering permits.
Whether the sea change is a matter of demographics, messaging (or both), it’s happening.
And it’s occurring right now, in this political generation.
Lawson leans in
One nonlocal politician who was a big winner Tuesday: Congressman Al Lawson, who in his third election achieved the bucket list item of finally carrying Duval County in the Democratic primary.
It helped that he had two local opponents, LaShonda Holloway and Albert Chester, splitting the vote.
Lawson will face Jacksonville Republican Gary Adler in the general election, but the donor class in the city has demonstrated a comfort level with Lawson that Adler will have a tough time displacing.
While Lawson’s race in Congressional District 5 may be a snoozer after a primary that likely proved decisive, the race in Congressional District 4 between Republican incumbent Rep. John Rutherford and former broadcast journalist Donna Deegan may be a bit more pyrotechnic.
The district has a heavy GOP plurality, so odds are stacked against Deegan. But she will run a spirited and well-messaged campaign that will jibe with the national Democratic ticket, perhaps getting the traction that makes Republicans work to reelect Rutherford. In 2016 and 2018, the general elections were jokes, and the former Sheriff won by ~40 points; 2020 will be a bit more real.
Clay play
Former Rep. Ted Yoho staffer Kat Cammack has a pro forma November election against Democrat Adam Christensen standing between her and the U.S. Congress, and a big reason she pulled it out was because she carried Clay County, despite homegrown opposition.
Cammack got 22.06% of the vote on the GOP side in the CD 3 race, a remarkable tally given that she faced three locals: Amy Pope Wells, County Commissioner Gavin Rollins and repeat candidate Judson Sapp, who spent big only to take the L.
All told, Cammack got roughly 25% of the vote … a number that would not have happened had she not made a serious play in a county where numerous candidates had deep roots.
Cammack’s win reminded Bold of a state House primary in 2016, which saw two Clay County candidates in the mix. Ultimately, both Leslie Dougher and Katherine Van Zant (running to replace her husband, who was termed out) lost to current Rep. Bobby Payne, who like Cammack made a strong play in Clay.
Dance partner
Few are expecting drama in Florida’s 6th Congressional District in November as Republican Rep. Michael Waltz of St. Augustine seeks a second term. In a close Democratic primary Tuesday, Deland Attorney Clint Curtis defeated college professor Richard Thripp or Orange City by less than 2,000 votes.
Waltz will be heavily favored to win reelection in a district he won by 13 points in 2018 during a blue wave year. He defeated a well-funded Nancy Soderberg, but Curtis believes it can be done.
“Waltz might not be that tough. He’s been pretty much worthless,” Curtis told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. “I know in the (House) minority, you don’t get to do too much, but shouldn’t you be trying?”
He said he is counting on a huge turnout to sweep Trump from office. Trump won the district by 17 points in 2016.
The Curtis campaign got off to an interesting start in September when he was issued a gag order preventing him from rolling out a “rip-off” that defined his campaign strategy. He may have felt he was under another gag order when first informed that he had won his race against Thripp.
“Good. Yea,” he said.
Once more with feeling
Looks like Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan may not move forward with the Shipyards redevelopment after all.
Per First Coast News, the negotiation period ended at the end of and without a deal signed, the city is back to square one.
Well, almost back: $50M was spent removing the ramps to the Hart Bridge, a move made to activate the sports complex area, allowing Khan to push forth with a development not happening in the way folks expected.
“I’m not sure the right hand knew what the left hand was doing,” said Jacksonville City Council Finance Chair Matt Carlucci, regarding the handoff between the Mayor’s Office and the Downtown Investment Authority.
For Jacksonville, this is yet another near-term example of a demolition project that has been slow on the rebuild, along the lines of the Jacksonville Landing and various city buildings that have gotten the wrecking ball in recent years.
Help the aged
For older adults in Jacksonville facing cash crunches, help may be on the way Saturday from City Hall.
“The City of Jacksonville will launch phase two of the Senior and Disabled Financial Assistance Program on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 a.m. to provide support to older adults (72 years or older) and anyone receiving Social Security Disability benefits. With this grant program, the City will make one-time payments of $300 to 3,000 qualifying seniors and disabled citizens,” a media release from the city notes.
Some restrictions apply. All applicants must make no less than $30,000, and no successful applicant this time around will have been a recipient of previous city grant money extended in the wake of COVID-19.
Interested in applying?
There are a couple of ways to do so.
One is to create a MyJax account at myjax.custhelp.com before applying.
Another is to call 904-255-8888 for assistance with their application over the phone starting Saturday, Aug. 29, at 8 a.m.
Previous relief programs saw robust interest, and early applicants likely have an advantage here also.
Name game
Movement is afoot in the Jacksonville City Council to slow the process of historical reappraisal, reports WJCT.
Councilman Rory Diamond wants a pause of up to two years in renamings, saying that process and community discussion are necessary preludes to such weighty decisions.
“Right now we don’t have a process to do it,” Diamond said. “The public is almost entirely cut out, especially during the Zoom era of democracy, so it makes sense just to pump the brakes, and put it in a process so that we can do this the right way.”
The Councilman, elected in 2019 without opposition, said that the “floodgates” had been opened.
Diamond’s bill isn’t the only proposal. Councilman Ron Salem wants to take the current six-week process and add four more weeks to that, to allow a fuller public hearing.
The Hemming Park renaming showed why that was necessary, he said.
“There were some comments made that some of the council didn’t know a whole lot about [Charles] Hemming, and what the significance of Hemming was, and why the park was named after Hemming, and I want to make sure that all the facts are out there before the public hearing starting,” he said.
JTA finances
Jacksonville Transportation Authority got a thumb’s up for its financial management from a top analyst firm.
Fitch Ratings gave a “AA” issuer default rating to JTA’s handling of $85 million of a senior lien for the local option gas tax revenue bonds from 2015. JTA announced the high ratings Aug. 14 after Fitch analysts ruled the transportation organization’s outlook is “stable.”
“The ‘AA’ [rating] reflects the authority’s strong operating performance, low long-term liability burden, and solid expenditure control balanced against the authority’s limited independent legal ability to raise revenues and slow revenue growth prospects,” the Fitch rating stated.
Fitch analysts also said JTA’s financial stability is so solid it is “well-positioned” and will be able to withstand any negative impacts from the coronavirus outbreak.
“These actions by Fitch … reflect the strong financial stewardship of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority,” said JTA Chief Financial Officer Greg Hayes. “Despite ongoing revenue pressure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the JTA continues to effectively manage our resources to benefit the citizens of Jacksonville.”
The local option gas tax was extended by the Jacksonville City Council in 2014 and is to run through 2036 to fund a number of construction and capital projects under the JTA Mobility Works program.
Financial industry expansion
A financial industry company is planning an expansion of its operations in Jacksonville and will add another 100 jobs.
NewRez LLC, a mortgage lending and service company, announced Aug. 18 its operations in Jacksonville. NewRez, headquartered in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, entered the Jacksonville market earlier this year as part of a merger deal with Ditech.
Now the company wants a bigger presence at its service center in Jacksonville.
“Jacksonville has been a true partner in our ability to attract world-class talent,” said Baron Silverstein, president of NewRez. “We are excited to announce the addition of 750 positions to the organization, many of which will be located in Jacksonville. With growth expected in all of our business divisions, we will be hiring a wide variety of professionals, and know we can find them here.”
The 100 jobs to be added at the Jacksonville location will include positions designed to offer mortgage sales, loan processing, underwriting and collections.
The expansion of the company in Jacksonville was partly brokered by the JAXUSA Partnership, the economic development wing of JAX Chamber.
“Once companies get a taste of what it’s like to work and live here, we are confident that we’ll be in the mix when it comes time to invest and grow,” JAXUSA Partnership President Aundra Wallace said. “That’s what we’re seeing here with NewRez.”
JAX call for artists
Jacksonville International Airport Arts Commission (JIAAC) is calling for artists to apply for a temporary fine art exhibition at the Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) throughout 2021.
The JIAAC will display selected works of professional and emerging artists from the seven-county Jacksonville region — Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, Putnam, and St. Johns counties.
Works chosen for the exhibition will be “reflective of the unique character of Northeast Florida and thoughtfully enhance the JAX experience while respecting the sensitivities and functional needs of airport visitors.”
JIAAC will review all artwork submitted on or before August 31, 2020, during the period of September through November 2020. Selected works will display on a rotating basis during each quarter of 2021.
For submission criteria and more information, read the Summary of Opportunity online here.
Hillbillies
Stein Mart is headed to bankruptcy, but the CEO of the discount clothing-and-home-goods chain wasn’t exactly combing the rummage sales when it came to property acquisition.
The Jacksonville Daily Record reports that former CEO Jay Stein bought two houses in the Los Angeles area in recent years. In 2016, he bought a Beverly Hills mansion for $22 million. A few years later, he sold that and bought a second spot in Bel Air at $31 million.
That’s a long way from Cowford, y’all.
Stein also has a home for sale in Jacksonville, but at a mere $5.2 million, who would want to bother?
Stein Mart has circled the drain for years but the pandemic was the final plunge.
The Record reporter noted that stock was just 15 cents a share when he wrote the article.
More defensive woes
If things were going poorly for the Jacksonville Jaguars at the defensive end position last week, things have gone even further downhill this week. Defensive ends Rodney Gunter and Aaron Lynch have announced their retirements, but for different reasons.
Gunter, a five-year veteran signed to a free-agent contract in March, revealed he has a heart condition that is forcing him to step away from football. He poured out his emotions in a statement.
“These last three weeks have been a hard pill to swallow,” Gunter said. “Seeing my dreams vanish right in front of me has been extremely difficult.”
While coach Doug Marrone is facing an increasingly difficult task of building a defensive line, his immediate thoughts were on Gunter’s well-being.
“These are the things that I think are very difficult. When things come up that are out of your control, it takes away what you love; what you want to do,” Marrone told the media. “It’s an awful feeling, it really is. It’s just tough.”
Lynch was signed earlier this year after playing for the Chicago Bears last season. He was expected to add depth as an occasional edge rusher.
The retirements come on top of the decision of defensive tackle Al Woods to opt-out of the 2020 season. Woods played in Seattle in 2019.
Jacksonville subsequently signed seven-year veteran defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan to help shore up a troubling lack of depth on the line. Jernigan most recently played for the Philadelphia Eagles and was a star on Florida State’s 2013 national championship team.
“He’s a guy that’s played in this league, so we are looking forward to see what he can do, along with the rest of the guys,” Marrone said.
Marrone restated the defensive unit’s goal of doing a better job of stopping the run, but that will now have to be done with the help of new players such as Jernigan and developing others that come along. He lamented the loss of Gunter, Lynch and Woods as making it difficult to achieve that goal.
“Some of the moves that we made (in the offseason), some of those guys aren’t here,” Marrone said.
Not mentioned was the unavailability of defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, who is so far sticking to his pledge to never play for the Jaguars again. Marrone and the coaching staff can only hope injuries do not further deplete the line once full-contact practices begin in earnest.
