A.G. Gancarski, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiNovember 27, 2018

For the second straight year, Northeast Florida Republican Rob Bradley will chair the Senate Appropriations Committee. With Rep. Travis Cummings chairing the House’s budget panel, that means Clay County has two lawmakers overseeing statewide spending decisions for the 2019 Legislative Session. Bradley replaced Jack Latvala ahead of the 2018 Legislative Session, when the Clearwater Republican quit the Senate amid sexual misconduct […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 27, 2018

Jacksonville Democrat Yolanda Thornton wants to be Mayor. And she has made her move, opening a campaign account in which there is room to grow. Thus far, she has raised $100. She has never held elected office before. Never been appointed to a city board or commission. And she moved back to town only recently. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 26, 2018

Earlier this year, Gov. Rick Scott said he wanted to appoint Duval County Judge Lester Bass to succeed Judge Robert Foster on the 4th Judicial Circuit bench. On Monday, the outgoing Governor and now Senator-elect got his wish. Bass’s appointment to the 4th Circuit came after considerable legal wrangling regarding whether Scott had the right to appoint at all. Jacksonville lawyer David Trotti […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 26, 2018

With a little more than a month to go before qualifying in the Jacksonville mayoral race, there is little drama. Incumbent Lenny Curry has almost $3,000,000 cash on hand for his re-election campaign while he awaits a challenger with any sort of fundraising traction to file (only NPA Connell Crooms, who has about $1,000 on hand, has filed). Curry has […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 23, 2018

The days of “bundled” constitutional amendments would end under a bill filed by Sen. Rob Bradley. The measure (SB 74) offers a single-subject limitation for the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC), a legislative fix for the grouping together of unrelated measures into the same amendment. Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who last chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee, noted […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 22, 2018

After a Florida election with three statewide recounts, the rhetoric finally started to cool down around the time our kitchen ovens started to warm up this year. Recently released research from the 2016 cycle suggests that, at least for those who want to have civil get-togethers this Turkey Day, the pitched drama of the 2018 […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 21, 2018

JAXPORT’s dredging of 11 miles of the St. Johns River scored important financial backing Wednesday, after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budgeted $46 million more toward it in its FY 2019 work plan. The $46 million is almost equal to the $50 million secured in the previous two budget years, a potentially good sign for […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 20, 2018

Legislation that would introduce a number of transparency reforms to Jacksonville’s city government went down in the Jacksonville City Council Rules Committee Tuesday, despite bill sponsor Anna Brosche requesting a deferral. Rules, the sole committee of reference, is chaired by Councilman Tommy Hazouri, who asserted that the deferral request was too close to the meeting to be […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 20, 2018

Florida Republicans are as well-positioned as could be imagined after a “blue wave” year, controlling both Senate seats and almost everything that matters in Tallahassee after a series of tight campaigns. Republicans ran up margins in rural and exurban areas, and in part that was necessary because of Republican candidates underperforming in Jacksonville (Duval County), […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 19, 2018

With seven weeks to go until his inauguration, Governor-elect Ron DeSantis is seeking applicants for his administration. To that end: the DeSantis Transition website, which allows interested parties to chase their dream jobs in Tallahassee. The fields on the website all but fill themselves out; in fact, the only ones that aren’t autofill include Department and […]

A.G. Gancarski
Image via WUFT News.

Back again: Rob Bradley returns to chair Senate Appropriations

‘Underdog story’: Yolanda Thornton‘s longshot bid for Jacksonville Mayor

Case closed: Lester Bass appointed (finally) to 4th Circuit court

‘Her window’s closing’: Is Anna Brosche running for Jacksonville Mayor?

‘Bundled’ constitutional amendments targeted in new bill

Want to shorten Thanksgiving dinner? Talk about the election

‘A major victory for our region’: John Rutherford on new JAXPORT money

Clear as mud: Jacksonville City Council committee kills transparency bill

Going rogue: Duval GOP chair shreds Ron DeSantis, Rick Scott for bad campaign messaging

Help wanted: Ron DeSantis makes open call for gubernatorial staffers