Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 14, 2018

For nearly three decades, the city of Jacksonville has been split between two congressional districts. One of them, what is now the 4th Congressional District, was represented for years by reliable and, by today’s standard, moderate Republicans: Tillie Fowler and Ander Crenshaw. The other district, currently the 5th Congressional District, was Democrat Corrine Brown‘s sinecure. The maps on […]

Staff ReportsAugust 10, 2018

We’ve hit the stretch of the primary season; where the money is being spent, not raised. Where ads are cut, and voters engaged. And where candidates know if they are still in the game. No one comes out and says “well, it looks over.” But losing candidates seem different. We saw it with Adam Putnam, […]

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 […]

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 25, 2018

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives moved the Veterans Armed for Success Act. The bill, co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. John Rutherford and Al Lawson, a Republican and Democrat representing Jacksonville respectively, was bundled into H.R. 5649, the Navy SEAL Chief Petty Officer William “Bill” Mulder (Ret.) Transition Improvement Act. The bill, if it clears the Senate and gets […]

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 […]

Staff ReportsJuly 17, 2018

U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, a Jacksonville Republican representing Florida’s 4th Congressional District, won the 2018 Security Industry Association (SIA) Legislator of the Year award recently. Rutherford was honored for sponsoring H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, signed into law in March as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018. “I am honored […]

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Image via Adobe.

Jacksonville Bold for 9.14.18 — Time marches on

Jacksonville Bold for 8.24.18 — Closing time

Jacksonville Bold for 8.17.18 — Sizzle, and steak

Voter registrations numbers show that it’s still a tale of two congressional districts in NE Fla.

Jacksonville Bold for 8.10.18 — Contenders, pretenders

Jacksonville Bold for 8.3.18 — Home stretch

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

John Rutherford, Al Lawson vets’ job training bill passes House

Jacksonville Bold for 7.20.18 — Cash is king.

Security industry group dubs John Rutherford legislator of the year