A.G. Gancarski
On the heels of her recent victory, the new Chair of the Florida Democrats is engaging in upcoming elections in Duval County.
Nikki Fried will be in Jacksonville’s Five Points district Monday evening, for a Get Out the Vote rally at Rain Dogs, a hipster dive bar on Park Street that has seen its share of political events over the years.
The doors for the “Be Bold, Vote Blue” event open at 5:30, with the rally scheduled for a 6 p.m. start and a 7 p.m. finish.
Fried is returning yet again to Jacksonville’s Riverside neighborhood, where she lived years ago, as Duval Democrats hope to return to prominence after recent electoral setbacks that have seen them shut out of countywide offices and mired in super-minority status on the Jacksonville City Council.
Unlike in 2019, when no Democrats challenged incumbent Republican Mayor Lenny Curry, two Democrats are running for an open position, with one looking likely to head to a May runoff in the General Election.
The latest survey from the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab shows that while Democrat Donna Deegan is on track to be the leading candidate in the First Election March 21, she will fall short of the 50.01% needed to win outright. Deegan was the choice of 37% of those polled
The latest survey from the University of North Florida Public Opinion Research Lab shows that while Democrat Donna Deegan is on track to be the leading candidate in the First Election March 21, she will fall short of the 50.01% needed to win outright. Deegan was the choice of 37% of those polled, with Republican Daniel Davis in second place with 20%.
Former Senate Minority Leader Audrey Gibson has been accused by some Deegan backers as playing spoiler, blocking Deegan from winning the whole thing in March. Gibson drew 7% support and has yet to commit to backing the Democrat in the runoff, should polling reflect reality in this case.
Democrats arguably are better positioned to win the Duval County Property Appraiser race outright. The same UNF poll shows City Council member Joyce Morgan with 43% support against two Republicans in the First Election. She would need a majority to win without a May runoff.
The same polling also shows that Democrat Joshua Hicks is running neck and neck with Republican Ron Salem, poised to be City Council President later this year if he doesn’t lose in the winner-takes-all March election for the at-large countywide seat.
