Duval GOP Chairman Dean Black launches bid for House District 15

Dean Black gets a big get. Image via campaign.

The chairman of the Republican Party of Duval County is making it official Friday, filing to run in House District 15 under the new maps.

With legislative redistricting now complete, Dean Black is running for the seat that includes western Duval and all of Nassau.

“Northeast Florida needs strong, proven and dependable conservative leaders fighting for our values in Tallahassee. I will be a Representative that stands on a strong America First agenda: Supporting the Constitution, limited government, the right to bear arms, personal liberty, low taxes, school choice, and defending our brave men and women in law enforcement,” Black said.

Black has been ramping up for a House run for some time, and will enter the race with momentum in the form of money and endorsements.

Black’s statewide political committee, True Conservatives, has already raised $170,000. Backers include Rep. John Rutherford (via his political committee), Duval County Clerk of Court Jody Phillips, St. Johns County Clerk of Court Brandon Patty, former Representative Jay Fant, former Duval County Clerk of Court Ronnie Fussell, lobbyist Deno Hicks, and former candidate Judson Sapp.

More than $100,000 of that sum was raised in May 2021, an indication Black has been eyeing a run for sometime.

HD 15 includes some, but not all, of the former HD 11. Nassau County is the common denominator between the two maps. But it trades the more moderate beach communities in Duval County for the western part of the county.

It will likely perform Republican in the General Election. The district supported the recent campaigns of Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018 and former President Donald Trump in 2020, with each candidate receiving more than 63% of the vote.

Two candidates are filed in HD 11 who could redesignate for HD 15. Both are Republicans.

Bo Hodges of Hilliard has raised $311 in nearly a year as a filed candidate. Emily Nunez of Yulee filed last month, and has yet to report any fundraising.