A.G. Gancarski
A key industry group is the latest to endorse the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO in the 2023 mayoral race.
The Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) rolled out its endorsement of Republican Daniel Davis, the latest sign of establishment support for the former state legislator and City Councilman on the crowded ballot next March.
“Daniel has proven himself as a person of profound character and integrity — consistently, over my twenty years of knowing him,” said Josh Garrison, 2022 President of NEFBA. “We at the association are proud to endorse his candidacy for mayor with full knowledge that he will not simply do what is best for the building industry, but rather, for our city as a whole.”
The NEFBA endorsement follows on the heels of the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors backing Davis earlier this month. That organization is backing up its endorsement with a $25,000 contribution to Davis’ Building a Better Economy political committee.
Davis has thus far been the strongest fundraiser in the race, with more than $4.1 million cash on hand in his political committee as of Oct. 7, the last date for which totals are available.
He also raised $316,400 to his campaign account in September from 363 individual contributions, with many recognizable names among them in his first month as an official candidate.
Ballard Partners donated, as did principals Brian Ballard and Jordan Elsbury. Ed Burr, Abel Harding, Preston Haskell, and former Jacksonville City Councilman Jim Love also contributed.
Citizens for Building Florida’s Future, a political committee associated with Rep. Wyman Duggan, also donated, as did current Jacksonville City Councilman Kevin Carrico.
The next best fundraiser is another Republican, City Council member LeAnna Gutierrez Cumber.
Her JAX First political committee has roughly $2.46 million on hand, and she has around $311,000 in her campaign account. Expect Davis and Cumber to target each other between now and March.
A third Republican in the field, Jacksonville City Councilman Al Ferraro, lags behind Davis and Cumber in fundraising, with less than $65,000 on hand in his campaign account and a little more than $180,000 in his Keep It Real Jax political committee.
Former television journalist Donna Deegan continues to lead Democratic fundraising, with $23,975 raised to her campaign account in September from 215 individual contributions. She now has roughly $235,000 on hand in hard money.
Deegan’s Donna for Duval political committee also has nearly $320,000 cash on hand.
Democratic Sen. Audrey Gibson continues to struggle for traction, with less than $15,000 on hand in her campaign account. Her A Rising Tide political committee has less than $100,000 on hand.
Other candidates have struggled to fundraise thus far, including independent candidates Omega Allen and Darcy Richardson, Republican Frank Keasler, and Democrat Theresa Ann Richardson.
One comment
Southern Voter
October 19, 2022 at 12:42 pm
Davis will not get the Southern vote, because he wants to destroy Confederate Monuments. We have enough votes to change any election, and that it why Davis will not win.
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