Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsMay 11, 2018

August primaries are close to three months away. Vote by mail ballots will go out sooner than that. What that means is the time is now for candidates to show what their operations on the state and federal level really look like. And on the local level, where elections are still farther away, it’s infrastructure-building […]

Staff ReportsMay 4, 2018

Congressional candidates finish qualifying this week, setting the stage for a 3+ month sprint to nominations. Virtually every Congressional incumbent, save John Rutherford, will face a primary. Ted Yoho faces nominal competition for what could be his final term; Al Lawson faces more than a symbolic challenge in the form of Alvin Brown in Congressional District 5. We are a few weeks […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 3, 2018

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Al Lawson talked to Jacksonville media about his congressional campaign against former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. Lawson and Brown both qualified this week, setting up a primary election that matches up a Tallahassee politician against a Jacksonville pol in the race for the Democratic nomination in Florida’s sprawling 5th Congressional District. Lawson said […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 2, 2018

The battle of the Als is now confirmed. Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown qualified Wednesday to run against incumbent Rep. Al Lawson in North Florida’s sprawling, east-west Congressional District 5. Lawson, who ended Corrine Brown‘s political career in 2016, seeks to “retire” Alvin Brown, maintaining his hold over the cartographically schizoid Jacksonville-to-Tallahassee seat. Brown announced his qualification Wednesday, via […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 30, 2018

Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown launched his campaign for Florida’s 5th Congressional District on Saturday morning at the IBEW Hall in Jacksonville — the same place he began his first mayoral campaign eight years ago. “They said it wouldn’t happen,” Brown said of that 2011 race. “Let’s do it again.” The location, where the Duval […]

Staff ReportsApril 27, 2018

Lately, Jacksonville politics has been fractious. A debate over JEA privatization, a hot-button topic for months, saw the culmination of claims and cross-claims of lies, betrayals, subterfuge and deception before Mayor Lenny Curry pulled the plug Thursday. As the political season approaches, locals may want to take a cue from gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam, who made yet another […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2018

Alvin Brown, the former Jacksonville mayor running in the Democratic Primary for Florida’s 5th Congressional District, may be positioning himself to do the unthinkable and capsize incumbent U.S. Rep. Al Lawson. Brown enjoyed a two-to-one fundraising advantage during the first quarter of 2018: $167,088 to $83,866. Lawson had $100,000 cash on hand at the end […]

Staff ReportsApril 20, 2018

In Jacksonville, tales of the next year of elections have just begun. In this edition: congressional fundraising. For those needing a guide to both contenders and pretenders, a look at the money (months before voters cast ballots) will tell that tale. Down the page, our story on City Council fundraising. Some candidates who are not […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 16, 2018

It appears there is a money race in the Democratic primary in Florida’s 5th Congressional District. According to a press release from Alvin Brown, the former Jacksonville mayor enjoyed a two-to-one fundraising advantage during the first quarter of 2018. And that means that Brown has pulled close to incumbent U.S. Rep. Al Lawson in terms of […]

Staff ReportsApril 13, 2018

In campaigns, there is always a watershed moment when all the gauzy, aspirational rhetoric fades — like so many temporary tattoos — replaced by the hard realities of campaign finance and infrastructure. For races on the 2018 ballot, we are there — even if some candidates haven’t figured it out. If one is looking to […]

Tag: Al Lawson

Jacksonville Bold for 5.11.18 — Buy the ticket, take the ride

Jacksonville Bold for 5.4.18 — Qualifying Week

Al Lawson confident in campaign against ‘failed’ Alvin Brown

Alvin Brown, Al Lawson qualify for primary, setting up Jacksonville/Tallahassee clash

Alvin Brown’s congressional campaign kick-off has familiar cadence, leaves unanswered questions

Jacksonville Bold for 4.27.18 — Lessons learned

Is Al Lawson in trouble? Re-election to Congress may be in doubt

Jacksonville Bold for 4.20.18 — Can’t knock the hustle

More money: Alvin Brown closes fundraising gap with Al Lawson

Jacksonville Bold for 4.13.18 — Infrastructure week