Ryan RayThe Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA), a powerful consortium of Duval County-based homebuilders and contractors, has just come out in favor of Lenny Curry‘s bid to become mayor of Jacksonville.
NEFBA announced its support for Curry on Friday. It comes amid a flurry of endorsements for Curry, including that of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce-backed group JAXBIZ and, somewhat more controversially, the Duval County Republican Party, which endorsed him on a second ballot.
The endorsements of JAXBIZ and now NEFBA are a substantial coup for Curry because though while both groups are intrinsically conservative, they by and large support the stability that comes along with incumbents, barring some complication. The move signals to outsiders that the groups have read the electoral tea leaves and that they are confident that Curry will win.
A blanket primary election, in which all candidates will appear on the ballot, takes place March 24. It is widely believed that a run-off will follow because Mayor Alvin Brown and City Councilman Bill Bishop will likely share large swaths of the vote.
