GOP support continues to find Democrat Brenda Priestly Jackson in HD 13

Brenda Priestly Jackson leads the pack.

Former City Council member Brenda Priestly Jackson may be running as a Democrat in Jacksonville’s HD 13, but she’s doing it with Republican support.

Priestly Jackson, who told Florida Politics that she wanted an open Primary against incumbent Rep. Angie Nixon and who is trying to get a write-in kicked off the ballot to make that happen, secured both of her $1,000 donations from Republicans during the two weeks between June 1 and June 14.

City Council member Matt Carlucci and Ballard Partners’ Jordan Elsbury both ponied up, giving her all the money she raised during that two-week period. In previous fundraising reports, Priestly Jackson got money from the Friends of Rory Diamond political committee as well as from former GOP Council member Randle Poitevent Defoor.

We asked Carlucci, a maverick Republican who backed the mayoral campaign of Democrat Donna Deegan just last year, why he was playing in a Democratic Primary.

“She has stood with me when the times were tough, she’s honest and will be a very effective legislator,” Carlucci said. “As to your other comment, I support people not parties.”

Nixon’s take is simple.

“She’s funded by many of the same folks that fight against transformative change in marginalized communities. I’m funded by the people. We are not the same. I am driven by what the community needs, not what corporations want.”

Right now, the “people” are doing better for their candidate than GOP pillars are for theirs.

Priestly Jackson has under $9,000 on hand between her ECO, Priestly Jackson for Neighbors, and her campaign account.

Nixon has roughly $60,000 in her campaign account, and roughly $14,000 in her political committee, Helping Florida Families Flourish.

At least in theory, the winner of this August contest will face write-in Terrance Jordan in the General Election. It should be noted that write-ins who close Primaries often withdraw once that task is completed and their preferred candidate gets the nomination.