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

A.G. GancarskiJuly 23, 2018

Though controversy has yet to subside over the appointment of Republican Terrance Freeman to a perennially Democratic seat on the Jacksonville City Council, the defense strategy from Freeman and the city of Jacksonville is beginning to coalesce. Brenda Priestly-Jackson, a Democrat and former Duval County School Board chair who was passed up for the appointment to fill […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 23, 2018

The pitched GOP gubernatorial primary battle between Rep. Ron DeSantis and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam increasingly is pivoting on which campaign can malign the other side’s donors. In Jacksonville Saturday morning, DeSantis devoted a lot of time to slamming the sugar industry, a position assumed after over $5 million was devoted to negative ads against the congressman […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 23, 2018

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry rolled out on Monday his administration’s fourth budget, one continuing an upward trajectory of spending since 2015, without a tax increase. As compared to the $1.19 billion general fund budget in FY 16-17, and the $1.27 billion budget last year, the general fund budget is up this year to $1.31 billion. The […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 23, 2018

Former Jacksonville City Councilman — and current candidate — Matt Carlucci knows something about the gubernatorial appointment process. Carlucci was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to head the Florida Commission on Ethics, a position he resigned shortly before launching his 2019 campaign for Council. We caught up with Carlucci Friday, where he gave us a […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 21, 2018

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, who is looking increasingly like the front-runner in the Republican race for Governor, held a Saturday morning meet-and-greet in Jacksonville, where he drew contrasts between opponent Adam Putnam and himself. One such contrast: DeSantis vowing that no matter what happens going forward, he will not take sugar industry money. In his remarks, DeSantis […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 20, 2018

A group of Republican state attorneys have deemed Florida Attorney General candidate Frank White “unfit to serve” after a series of attacks against his opponent, former Judge Ashley Moody. White has been hitting Moody hard throughout the campaign, with his United Conservatives political committee contending that Moody is “soft on crime … soft on child predators” recently. That […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 20, 2018

Cannabis concerns and the sugar industry were among the contributors to Sen. Rob Bradley’s Working for Florida’s Families political committee, which brought in $125,000 last week. Surterra Texas, a cannabis company doing business in Florida’s medical marijuana program, ponied up $25,000 to the committee of the head of Senate Appropriations. U.S. Sugar dropped in another […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 20, 2018

The Northeast Florida Builders’ Association released a raft of endorsements for state House and Senate Thursday, choosing incumbents in every regional race but two. NEFBA went with a Democratic primary challenger, Paula Wright, over incumbent Kim Daniels in House District 14. This could boost Wright’s insurgent bid, one where Daniels has a 10-1 cash on hand advantage […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 19, 2018

Constituents in Jacksonville City Council District 10 had an opportunity Thursday to meet the man Gov. Rick Scott appointed to represent them. Terrance Freeman, a Republican who up until last week lived in Mandarin in southern Duval County, met his new constituents (in a 19 percent Republican district) at the Legends Center, at the same location suspended […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 19, 2018

Staff, including reporters, photographers, copy editors and desk editors at the Florida Times-Union, voted Thursday to unionize the newsroom, under the NewsGuild-CWA. The next move: Staff will begin negotiating a contract with GateHouse Media. Two other GateHouse shops at the Lakeland Ledger and Sarasota Herald-Tribune have already organized. Longtime reporter Steve Patterson noted previously that the newsroom has “lost […]

A.G. Gancarski
Image via AP.

Defense firms up for Terrance Freeman appointment to Jacksonville City Council

GOP campaigns for governor slam each other over dicey donors

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry rolls out ambitious election year budget

Matt Carlucci defends Terrance Freeman appointment to Jacksonville City Council

Ron DeSantis vows not to take money from sugar industry

State Attorneys: Frank White ‘unfit to serve’

Rob Bradley’s political committee added $125,000 last week

Northeast Florida builders back Paula Wright, Wyman Duggan for Florida House

Tough crowd: Constituents hammer newly appointed Jacksonville City Councilman Terrance Freeman

Florida Times-Union newsroom unionizes, third Florida GateHouse property to do so