Poll: Donna Deegan much more popular than Jacksonville City Council

Deegan image via COJ
'Maybe voters are tired of the petty, partisan squabbling.'

In a positive sign for her re-election, a new survey from the University of North Florida shows Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan has much higher favorable numbers than the Jacksonville City Council that has thwarted her for two years.

And it’s not even close.

Deegan, a Democrat, enjoys 62% approval against 37% disapproval. Only 2% of respondents don’t know how they feel about her, suggesting that she is increasingly well-defined.

While the first female Mayor in Jacksonville history is flying high, the supermajority Republican City Council is underwater, with 42% approval against 52% disapproval.

Interestingly, the mostly male Council performs worse with Republicans than with Democrats. While 51% of Democrats approve of the Council, only 41% of Republicans feel the same.

This could be bad news for a member of the Council who mounts a challenge to Deegan ahead of the 2027 election cycle.

Deegan is more popular than the City Council among both major genders, all races and all age groups, including the voters aged 50 and up who represent a disproportionate amount of the turnout in most city elections.

The Mayor is also much more popular than the Council in all state House districts, including those drawn to ensure a Republican wins the General Election.

“City Council is the notable exception to otherwise high approvals across the board,” pollster Michael Binder said. “Maybe voters are tired of the petty partisan squabbling we’ve seen recently.”

The UNF PORL Jax Speaks Summer Survey consists of 742 registered voters in Duval County, and was conducted from May 22 through May 30 by the Public Opinion Research Lab at UNF.

A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. His work also can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter: @AGGancarski


4 comments

  • Rick Whitaker

    June 3, 2025 at 8:50 am

    Deegan isn’t going out with you either Gancarski.

    Reply

    • Earl Pitts American

      June 3, 2025 at 12:32 pm

      Thanks and a tip of the hat to Peter here at F. P. for ordering Gancarski to only use pics from Donna’s file labled “Hot MILF DD Pics”.
      We are so tired of all those grand mom DD pics.
      EPA

      Reply

  • MH/Duuuval

    June 3, 2025 at 9:35 am

    The underlying issue with the Council are the structural inequities engendered by at-large seats, which dilute the vote of minorities and people of modest means.

    Deegan’s most obstreperous and irresponsible critics are mainly at-large members — excluding Matt Carlucci. They have no actual constituencies except partisan and financial ones.

    Having fair elections is an issue for Democrats and independents — and the few GOP voters remaining who care about the city — need to address. The city’s charter CAN be changed.

    Reply

  • the Truth

    June 3, 2025 at 9:49 am

    those are liberal polls from UNF, we all know that, Deegan is a one term mayor, she is the worst mayor the city has ever had

    Reply

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