Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsJuly 6, 2018

After a brief sabbatical, Bold is back. The campaign season — local state House and Senate races and special elections, and statewide battles — is in full swing. Competitive races abound up and down the ballot, along with more than a few cakewalks. Since we took our break, we’ve also seen a new Jacksonville City […]

Staff ReportsJune 8, 2018

Two of our top stories this week deal with primary battles for Congressional seats. They are interesting for what is said — and what is not. Mike Waltz is pushing fellow Republican John Ward to withdraw from the race in Florida’s 6th Congressional District. Waltz, like many across the political spectrum, believe that Ward saying that recent Puerto […]

Peter SchorschJune 1, 2018

The literary field of semiotics, as articulated by French theorist Ferdinand de Saussure, boils down to a relationship between signs and their intended meaning. The ultimate meaning of those signs is not fixed; rather, it moves with cultural interpretation. As we find ourselves now less than three months before primary elections for the 2018 ballot, we […]

Staff ReportsMay 25, 2018

We’ve reached the point in the primary cycle where, by now, campaign groundwork and infrastructure should be well underway. Bold is offering evidence of that proposition. Smart candidates are bringing out the big endorsements, and less seasoned candidates making career-killing gaffes. The operatives are talking. If our Jacksonville correspondent isn’t typing, odds are good he […]

Staff ReportsMay 18, 2018

As Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry is fond of saying: politics is a “relationship business.” So, this edition of Bold spotlights the utility of political friendships. Whether running for Congress or state or local office, you’d better have your friends’ endorsements (well-timed) and the interest of the donor class (early, and often). In each category, there will be […]

Jim RosicaMay 15, 2018

In another gambling case that could reach the state Supreme Court, a Jacksonville casino is appealing the state’s ending of its quest for a slot machine license. Jacksonville Kennel Club, which does business as bestbet, filed a notice of appeal to the 1st District Court of Appeal on Tuesday after the Department of Business and […]

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

Current Duval County tax collector Michael Corrigan will become CEO of Visit Jacksonville June 1. Per Jacksonville City Council President Anna Brosche, there will be a special election to fill the spot, with the first election in August and the second in November, consistent with the primary and general election slots. Meanwhile, the race to replace Corrigan got […]

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 […]

Tag: Duval County

Jacksonville Bold for 7.6.18 — Fireworks or fizzle?

Jacksonville Bold for 6.8.18 — Tribal warfare

Jacksonville Bold for 6.1.18 — Signs and symbols

Jacksonville Bold for 5.25.18 — Game theory

Jacksonville Bold for 5.18.18 — Relationship business

Spin ’em: Jacksonville race track appeals slot machine denial

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

Jacksonville Bold for 5.4.18 — Qualifying Week

Special election awaits Duval tax collector hopefuls, as incumbent moves to Visit Jacksonville

Jacksonville Bold for 4.27.18 — Lessons learned