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

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

Jacksonville University hosted six mayors — current mayor Lenny Curry, and his predecessors Alvin Brown, John Peyton, John Delaney, Tommy Hazouri, and Jake Godbold — Wednesday, with a topic as big as Jacksonville history itself. Namely, the city/county Consolidation fifty years prior. Consolidation brought an efficiency of services, but came with a price. African-Americans were divested of political power, and promises were […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson returned to Jacksonville Wednesday, spotlighting the opioid crisis affecting newborns at UF Health, Jacksonville’s safety-net hospital. Nelson had made a similar visit in 2017, spotlighting the “pandemic” of neonatal addiction, and lamenting funding shortfalls exacerbated by his opponent in November, Gov. Rick Scott, not expanding Medicaid. Television cameras saw the babies in […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

The U.S. Supreme Court nomination of Brett Kavanaugh appeared increasingly imperiled Wednesday, in the wake of allegations of sexual assault against him. The federal appellate judge was accused of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford three decades ago at a party when they were in high school, and as Wednesday progressed, partisan lines on the best way forward began to […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

The interest of national media in the high-wattage race for Florida Governor may have faded in recent days; however, Democrat Andrew Gillum keeps banking big dollars from global players. The latest luminary to give to Gillum: Actor, playwright and filmmaker Tyler Perry, who ponied up $100,000 to Gillum’s Forward Florida committee on Sept. 13. For Perry, the […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

Vote-by-mail ballots offer convenience to those using them, but an ACLU of Florida report released Wednesday shows that some ballots are more likely to be rejected than others. The ACLU study, “Vote-By-Mail Ballots Cast in Florida,” shows a higher rejection rate in the 2012 and 2016 general elections for mail ballots than those cast in person, […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2018

Republican Attorney General candidate Ashley Moody will make a campaign swing through Jacksonville Wednesday afternoon. Moody’s first stop will be at a business in southern Duval County, where there will be a “special announcement” (read: endorsement) from the traditionally GOP-leaning National Federation of Independent Businesses. Moody will then appear at the Republican Party of Florida headquarters (10111 […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 18, 2018

Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis rolled out a raft of education proposals on Tuesday, fleshing out his platform as the general election season continues. His timing was no accident. His Democratic opponent Andrew Gillum held a press conference at noon talking about his own proposals. DeSantis’ plan has considerable overlap in at least one area with that […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 18, 2018

One of Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry‘s most trusted lieutenants, Chief Financial Officer Mike Weinstein, will leave City Hall Nov. 9. “Since 2015, during the transition between my administration and my predecessor’s, Mike Weinstein has been both trusted adviser and friend. His expertise and depth of knowledge helped me prepare balanced budgets that met our city’s priorities, create […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 18, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-09-16-at-2.48.48-PM.png

Facing criticisms from Republicans of not being sufficiently pro-Israel, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum sought to clarify his position and allay concerns Tuesday. Gillum’s platform: A statement from his campaign for Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, in which Gillum asserted “ensuring lasting safety and security for Israel is an unquestionable priority and that building peace […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 18, 2018

Jacksonville’s public utility JEA and Georgia’s Municipal Electric Authority are at loggerheads over the future of the $27 billion Plant Vogtle, with lawsuits filed by each side. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, MEAG contends JEA is trying to renege on its 2008 deal to “cover 41 percent of MEAG’s share of construction costs at the Vogtle expansion for 20 years […]

A.G. Gancarski

Jacksonville mayors talk highs and lows of Consolidation

Bill Nelson optimistic that opioid legislation will quell the epidemic

Bill Nelson: FBI needs to investigate Brett Kavanaugh sex accusations

Madea cuts a check: Tyler Perry slides Andrew Gillum $100K

Rejected: Young voters, minorities have vote-by-mail trouble, ACLU finds

Ashley Moody to shake hands and collect checks in Jacksonville Wednesday

Ron DeSantis education proposals spotlight workforce training, school choice

Jacksonville CFO Mike Weinstein headed out, treasurer Joey Grieve moving up

In Yom Kippur statement, Andrew Gillum vows to protect Israeli ‘safety and security’

Under ‘negative credit watch,’ JEA renews plea for Plant Vogtle exit