Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Melissa RossApril 30, 2015

As the Jacksonville candidates for both mayor and sheriff campaign hard on how to boost public safety, the city’s influential faith leaders are also speaking out about a disturbing spike in crime rates and gang activity. They’re not all on the same page regarding recent calls to impose a 9 p.m. curfew in Jacksonville’s high-crime […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 29, 2015

On Wednesday afternoon, the First Coast Manufacturers Association endorsed Lenny Curry at Raintree Graphics, an FCMA business on the Southside. Most endorsement events generally involve a podium, a few prepared remarks, and a photo op. This one was a little bit different. Most endorsements are decided in boardrooms, and media has no access to the process. […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 29, 2015

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Over the course of this campaign, I’ve had my share of conversations with Lenny Curry. A recurrent motif, when it comes to him describing the campaign process, is that it’s gradual, rooted in the personal appeal, the one-on-one conversation, the handshake. That’s how Curry has lifted himself from no name recognition and polling worse than almost […]

Melissa RossApril 28, 2015

As the U.S. Supreme Court hears historic oral arguments on same-sex marriage, Jacksonville’s LGBT activists are growing increasingly vocal in pressing their case for full legal protections. “The change around this issue has happened so quickly,” says Dan Merkan, chairman of the Jax Coalition for Equality. Merkan says the Coalition will continue to advocate for […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 28, 2015

The Westside Republican Club meeting, held at a jampacked church on Old Middleburg Road on Monday night, was devoted entirely to the upcoming election. Though a lot of the media focus has been on where voters in the urban core might go in the May 19 election, turnout in Republican strongholds like the Westside is […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 28, 2015

In a new television ad, the first he has had since the First Election in March, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown asks, “Who’s on your side?” Spoiler alert: According to the 30-second spot, it is not his opponent in the May 19 runoff, Lenny Curry. The ad, which is infused with a “fighting liberal” ethos that was absent from […]

Melissa RossApril 27, 2015

Calls from the Jacksonville faith community to impose a 9 p.m. curfew in the city’s high-crime areas are getting pushback from activists on the ground in the Northwest quadrant. “In studies of dozens of U.S. cities, our research shows overall, youth curfews have had ‘no effect’ … in other words they just don’t work!” writes […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 27, 2015

It’s been interesting to watch the evolution and the dissemination of memes in the Jacksonville mayoral race. Just days after Mayor Alvin Brown made rhetorical overtures to his party’s left flank on issues such as discrimination legislation, a minimum wage hike, and the necessity of funding our local Safety Net hospital, UF Health, the Republican […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 25, 2015

On Friday, we reported on an internal poll from Lenny Curry’s consulting firm that shows the Republican ahead of Alvin Brown in the Jacksonville Mayoral Race for the first time. The poll showed Curry ahead of the Democrat by 4 points, and spotlighted some trends that would seemingly worry the Brown camp, such as a “dangerously low” re-elect number and […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 24, 2015

Lenny Curry has pulled ahead of incumbent Alvin Brown in the Jacksonville mayoral race, a poll by Curry’s consulting firm indicates. As Melissa Ross reported Friday afternoon, “a polling document” provided to FloridaPolitics.com by Curry’s consultant Data Targeting Research contends that the Republican’s “positive name recognition continues to steadily increase and for the first time – in our […]

Tag: Lenny Curry
Helene, early Sept. 27. Image via NOAA via AP.

Jax pastor: We don’t want to become the next Baltimore or Ferguson

Lenny Curry talks politics with, is endorsed by First Coast Manufacturers Association

Lenny Curry stumps to Southside businessmen

Jax equality coalition: “Hearts and minds” changing rapidly

Lenny Curry, Mike Williams pitch to Westside Republicans

Alvin Brown asks “Who’s on your side?” in new TV attack ad

Curfew controversy latest flap in Jax public safety concerns

RPOF: “We can’t afford liberal Mayor Alvin Brown”

Alvin Brown campaign on Lenny Curry internal poll: “an act of desperation”

Poll: Lenny Curry ahead in Jax mayoral race