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Staff ReportsSeptember 14, 2018

The primaries are now well behind us. The parties have unified. Ops for losing candidates have moved into other campaigns (or endeavors). If you pay attention, there is — at times — a crispness in the morning air. And while that coolness may be fleeting, it’s an augury of the inevitable march of time. The […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2018

U.S. Rep. Al Lawson won the Democratic primary Tuesday for Florida’s 5th Congressional District. Lawson held off former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown’s challenge in Duval, only losing there by roughly 20 points, while racking up prohibitively strong margins out west. Lawson won all seven other counties in the district. Lawson won in total 60 percent to […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 28, 2018

Mercifully, primary Election Day is upon us in Northeast Florida, the culmination of months of spirited campaigning, big time spending, and the occasional calumny or two. And now that it’s finally Tuesday, we will see the resolution of a number of narratives that have percolated for these many months. Moving from the top of the […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 26, 2018

Months back, former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown launched a Democratic primary challenge to U.S. Rep. Al Lawson. The idea was to take back a “Jacksonville seat” from the Tallahassee Democrat — U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown lost to Lawson, months before an even more catastrophic loss (numerous guilty verdicts in a federal fraud trial). The laconic Lawson was blunt […]

Staff ReportsAugust 24, 2018

“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Those of a certain age will recall the Semisonic earworm “Closing Time.” It is also where we stand in primary season. We already know what races we are tracking election night. In some, there is enough confidence in the results to have a sense of what […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 23, 2018

A new poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab asserts that U.S. Rep. Al Lawson of Florida’s 5th Congressional District is headed toward a blowout win over Democratic primary challenger Alvin Brown. The UNF survey of 402 likely Democratic primary voters shows Lawson has the support of 48 percent with just 29 percent backing […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 22, 2018

Heading into the weekend, Alvin Brown touted endorsements from Jacksonville preachers: “more than 30 faith leaders representing a large swath of the local faith community.” This week, three of those preachers have walked their endorsements back for logistical reasons, saying that the listing of their churches in the endorsement emails compromised their organizations’ nonprofit status. The […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 20, 2018

Conditions are looking favorable for U.S. Rep. Al Lawson to win his primary battle over former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown in Florida’s 5th Congressional District. Lawson, ahead by more than 20 points in the only public poll of the race, endorsed by Brown’s local Florida Times-Union and Jacksonville state Rep. Tracie Davis in recent days, is also ahead in cash on hand […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 17, 2018

State Rep. Tracie Davis and former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown both ran, and lost, as Democrats on the Duval ballot in 2015. Davis lost her elections supervisor race in March; Brown lost the mayorship in May. That link, however, was not enough for Davis to endorse Brown for Congress. On Friday, she broke with her fellow […]

Staff ReportsAugust 17, 2018

Wishful thinking predicates much of election season. Aspirational ads for Democrats; appeals targeting nonexistent issues (hello, “sanctuary cities”) for Republicans. Ultimately, these moves — whether pulled by a winning or losing campaign — are strategic. How a Republican is to eliminate sanctuary cities or how a Democrat is by force of will to create Medicare […]

Tag: Al Lawson
Florida Politics' Drew Wilson a few pounds heavier and with a bit more hair next to Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell ... (guess who we're rooting for?).

Jacksonville Bold for 9.14.18 — Time marches on

Al Lawson downs Alvin Brown in Democratic primary

Northeast Florida primary narratives poised for resolution

Down 20 points in polls, Alvin Brown rallies his Jacksonville base

Jacksonville Bold for 8.24.18 — Closing time

Latest poll shows Al Lawson obliterating Alvin Brown in CD 5 primary

Jacksonville preachers walk back Alvin Brown congressional endorsements

Al Lawson takes cash lead, momentum into CD 5 Dem primary home stretch

Tracie Davis says Al Lawson is ‘the right man’ in CD5

Jacksonville Bold for 8.17.18 — Sizzle, and steak