Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiDecember 8, 2017

Reporters in the Jacksonville market got to know Brian Hughes in late 2014 and early 2015 when the Republican PR pro was handling the messaging for mayoral candidate Lenny Curry. Soon those reporters — or those who replaced the ones who moved on — will get to know Hughes in a new capacity as Curry’s chief of staff. […]

Peter SchorschDecember 8, 2017

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry took a victory lap on Facebook this week. “2.5 years in office. Much done- pension reform, public safety investments, board reforms, reforms on how we serve kids, storm prep & relief, infrastructure, etc. The list goes on. However, that’s yesterday. I’m focused on winning today. Big things ahead. Love y’all Duval. […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 7, 2017

Build Something That Lasts, the political committee linked to Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry both spent and raised money robustly in November. Checks cut were more interesting than deposits, which, by and large, came from the usual suspects. For the first time since August, Curry’s committee cleared six-figures, raking in $112,000. The committee has just under $475,000 […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 5, 2017

Six November nominees to the Jacksonville Kids Hope Alliance board were up in committee Tuesday. All of them sailed through with nary a no vote, putting them on the Consent Agenda at next week’s City Council meeting. Most of them were completely uncontroversial. And the one who was controversial going in wasn’t controversial at all in […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 5, 2017

Rep. Jay Fant, a Jacksonville Republican who is running for Attorney General, filed what he calls the “Free Enterprise Protection Act” on Tuesday. HB 871 would prevent “discriminatory action” by any governmental entity in the state against businesses. The bill, per a press release from Fant’s AG campaign, is timed to coincide with the U.S. Supreme Court […]

Phil AmmannDecember 1, 2017

In this issue of Bold, there’s not a lot of unwelcome news. Today, there’s: — Travis Hutson potentially ascending to Senate leadership. — The local paper’s editorial board finally noticed Hutson’s Senate colleague, Rob Bradley. — A popular local politician — Sheriff Mike Williams — is (finally) officially running for re-election. — If you read […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2017

Not even three months after Hurricane Irma comes an indication, via Moody’s, that a storm may be brewing in municipal credit markets. Via Bloomberg: “If cities and states don’t deal with risks from surging seas or intense storms, they are at greater risk of default.” Moody’s considers six indicators to measure exposure, like how many homes are […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 30, 2017

When the Jacksonville media finally begins paying attention to 2019 City Council races, bet that the at-large contest between Bill Bishop and Ron Salem will feature. It has to. Though media turnover on the television side necessarily dictates many TV reporters won’t remember Bishop’s audacious play for mayor in 2015 (an underfunded run that nonetheless garnered 17 […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 29, 2017

The big local story this week was on Tuesday, when former JEA Board Chairman Tom Petway said customers of the 50-year-old municipal Jacksonville utility might be better off under a privatized model. Jacksonville City Council members — such as Matt Schellenberg and Garrett Dennis — were open to the idea, while Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry framed it as a […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 28, 2017

Rep. Paul Renner, a Republican representing Palm Coast, will speak in Jacksonville Wednesday afternoon at the Southside Business Men’s Club. Renner, a Jacksonville lawyer, is in line to become House Speaker in 2022 — a long-awaited return to power in Tallahassee for the Jacksonville political class, which still yearns for the days of Jim King and John Thrasher. […]

Tag: Lenny Curry
Anheuser-Busch has a longstanding tradition of providing emergency drinking water and supplies for disaster relief efforts.

‘He’s my guy’: Why the Brian Hughes hire made sense for Lenny Curry

Jacksonville Bold for 12.8.17 — Progress report

$112K raised in November for Lenny Curry committee; new chief of staff gets paid

Mayor’s ‘Kids Hope’ board picks sail through Jacksonville City Council panel

Jay Fant bill targets governmental ‘discriminatory actions’ against businesses

Jacksonville Bold for 12.1.17 — So much winning

Could climate change presage Jacksonville credit downgrade?

Will money decide the Bill Bishop Vs. Ron Salem race for Jax City Council?

Lenny Curry frames JEA privatization proposal as an example of thinking big

Paul Renner to speak in Jacksonville Wednesday