A.G. Gancarski
At least for the moment, all three Democrats representing Duval County in Tallahassee have Primary opponents.
And assuming this trio of challengers qualify for the August Primary Election, they all will have to make up ground in the months before the vote.
In Senate District 5, incumbent Tracie Davis is well positioned for any challenge that political newcomer Francky Jeanty might bring after kicking off his campaign with $655 in fundraising since he opened his account in February.
As of the end of March, Davis had more than $233,000 in the supportive Together We Stand political committee, with $56,000 of that raised in Q1. The Florida Justice PC chipped in $10,000, while lobbyist Michael Corcoran donated $7,500.
She raised an additional $4,050 to her campaign account during the same three-month period, with the Florida Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the REALTORS Advocacy PAC and Johnson & Johnson among those maxing out with $1,000 contributions. She has more than $34,000 cash on hand.
In House District 13, Rep. Angie Nixon has the cash advantage over the political veteran challenging her.
But both candidates in HD 13 are backed by key members of the Mayor’s Office.
Nixon, a second-term Democrat who is off the trail for a while longer while recovering from a medical procedure, raised $13,765 in the first quarter of 2024 from 479 mostly small-dollar contributions. Among the name donors: former candidates and Donna Deegan staffers Jimmy Midyette and Tracye Polson.
Nixon also has a supportive political committee, Helping Florida Families Flourish, that raised $1,000 in Q1.
Nixon’s opponent, Brenda Priestly Jackson, said she was running last year amid her concerns that the incumbent was failing “to advance legislation and secure funding to improve the quality” of life in her district.
The former Duval County School Board member and Jacksonville City Council member raised $750 in Q4 of 2023, and followed that up with $4,050 in contributions in the first quarter of this year.
She also has a state-level committee, Priestly Jackson for Neighbors, but thus far that account has just $5.00 banked.
Interesting donors include Darnell Smith, the Florida Blue executive who is also Mayor Deegan’s Chief of Staff, and former Republican City Council member Randy DeFoor, who was nominated to be Deegan’s General Counsel before encountering resistance from her former colleagues who would have had to confirm her. (It’s worth noting that Smith gave Nixon’s political committee $1,000 two days after donating to Priestly Jackson).
Priestly Jackson, who is voluble on many issues, was mum when asked repeatedly if she has a political committee. But the fundraising suggests she indeed will qualify for election later this month.
Meanwhile, in HD 14, Rep. Kim Daniels finally started fundraising after a dormant 2023.
Daniels, who didn’t raise anything last year except for the $100 she seeded her account with, added $17,500. That total included a $10,000 personal loan and $7,500 in contributions from various political committees, the Fiorentino Group and Becker & Poliakoff.
Her opponent, a political newcomer named Lloyd Caulker, just opened his account this month and therefore won’t report fundraising until at least July.
