Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsAugust 3, 2018

For political watchers, August offers an embarrassment of riches in this market. A number of competitive and contested primaries, including one open Democratic primary and a citywide race for tax collector. Not to mention the state races, including one competitive primary for governor and one that appears to be all but decided. For those keeping […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 2, 2018

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan‘s vision for the Jacksonville Shipyards redevelopment was unveiled Thursday morning, via a news release from the team. A 490,000-square-foot riverfront convention center (a long-standing local wish list item) and a 350-room hotel will be included on the site, according to the release. In April 2017, Khan’s Iguana Investments was approved to […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 30, 2018

On Monday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jeff Greene made the rounds in Northeast Florida, a bus tour that included a number of Jacksonville stops. At one of them — a back-to-school backpack giveaway at Northwestern Middle School — we caught up with the candidate, who per at least one recent poll of the race is within six […]

Staff ReportsJuly 27, 2018

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry stirred things up on Twitter this week, essentially declaring total war against his electoral competition. “Same s%#t different place. Elected office is loaded w/amateurs. Folks w/no ability to implement ideas. Many are full of empty rhetoric & a false sense of self. They survive on the bottom w cheap talk. We will retire some […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 26, 2018

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum spent his birthday Thursday in Northeast Florida. First in Atlantic Beach, accompanied by his wife R. Jai, for a “Women with Gillum” event at the Adele Grage Cultural Center that he said was “incredible.” Then, at a stately home in Avondale near the river, he opened his new campaign headquarters. These are good times for his […]

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

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 […]

Staff ReportsJuly 20, 2018

In this market, we periodically hear remarks about fundraising reports. Often, people seek publicity for candidates who do not have the slightest interest in raising money. It’s hard for media to garner interest in a candidate who has no clue on how to target (or even reach) a constituency. Others wonder why there are so […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 16, 2018

Hot on the campaign trail for Florida Governor, Philip Levine offers a political truism: Six weeks can be “an eternity.” Anything can happen. Firmly in the top-tier of Democratic hopefuls in the race, the former Miami Beach mayor swung through Jacksonville over the weekend, part of a three-city tour of the state. Saturday afternoon, Levine met with […]

Staff ReportsJuly 13, 2018

Next week, the new Jacksonville City Council year begins, and we will (likely) see two new additions. The names of Terrance Freeman and Ju’Coby Pittman were leaked Monday to the Jacksonville Daily Record, many hours ahead of the Governor’s official announcement. Someone, for some reason, made the decision to advance the message. Historically the Governor’s […]

Tag: Jacksonville
Image via OIC-SFL.

Jacksonville Bold for 8.3.18 — Home stretch

Shad Khan’s Jacksonville Shipyards redev plan includes convention center, hotel

Jeff Greene extols ‘excited’ electorate as primary enters final stretch

Jacksonville Bold for 7.27.18 — Same s**t, different place

As third-party groups stump for Andrew Gillum, can he control the message?

Defense firms up for Terrance Freeman appointment to Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry rolls out ambitious election year budget

Jacksonville Bold for 7.20.18 — Cash is king.

Philip Levine: In politics, six weeks is ‘eternity’

Jacksonville Bold for 7.13.18 — Media mutters