Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiJune 16, 2016

An Italian restaurant in Fleming Island was the unlikely venue for the first candidate forum in the 4th Circuit State Attorney race. Incumbent Angela Corey and challengers Wes White and Melissa Nelson participated in what turned out to be a heated discussion. Of the three candidates, Nelson seemed the most interested in making her case for why it was time […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 10, 2016

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Turns out a lot of people in Jacksonville are willing to open their wallets wide to get Angela Corey out of the 4th Circuit State Attorney office. In her first month of fundraising, Republican primary opponent Melissa Nelson had a game-changer month: $233,213. Combined with money raised by the First Coast Values political committee, Nelson has $341,000 raised and $289,000 on […]

Melissa RossJune 8, 2016

The fundraising continues apace for 4th Circuit State Attorney candidate Melissa Nelson. A cluster of North Florida heavyweights is hosting a reception for Nelson in Atlantic Beach June 23 (and encouraging contributions of up to $1,000). Acosta’s Gary Chartrand and his family, JAX Chamber chief Audrey Moran, and former U.S. Attorney Paul Perez are some […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2016

The May numbers for “First Coast Values,” a political committee associated with 4th Circuit State Attorney Republican challenger Melissa Nelson, augur well for her campaign. The political committee’s first month of fundraising brought in $108,500, of which $50,103 was spent. Of that money, $80,000 came from three donors, all attorneys. Ellen Fitzsimmons, general counsel for railroad […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 7, 2016

With campaigns up and down the ticket attracting the attention of Jacksonville’s donor class, it was perhaps inevitable that Lenny Curry‘s political committee would have a sluggish May. A total of $3,000 in new money was the slowest fundraising since the PAC started raising money last year, offset by $26,178 of new spending, of which $20,000 went to […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 31, 2016

Is a write-in candidate actual competition? What if the paperwork for the write-in was filed by the incumbent’s campaign manager to close the GOP primary? Can a sham candidacy be defined? These were the questions posed Tuesday in a Jacksonville courtroom, regarding a challenge to the write-in candidacy of Kenny Leigh, an avowed supporter of incumbent […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 26, 2016

Reliable sources tell FloridaPolitics.com that First Coast Values, a political committee supporting Melissa Nelson, has launched a “six-figure” ad buy to introduce the former assistant state attorney to 4th Circuit voters as she challenges for the job of state attorney. The ads are said to be positive, introducing the candidate at the very time incumbent Angela Corey has […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 25, 2016

One might think, given the fact that 4th Circuit Public Defender Matt Shirk and State Attorney Angela Corey are in competitive GOP primaries, they might debate their opponents. While there’s still plenty of time for that to happen, it’s not happening Wednesday afternoon. The embattled incumbents, each facing challenges from members of their own party, will instead debate each other. […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 24, 2016

Despite repeated protests from State Attorney Angela Corey’s re-election campaign that her campaign manager filing the election paperwork for a write-in candidate was “perfectly legal and write-in candidates have filed in multiple races across the state,” evidence continues to mount that her campaign’s position in this matter is the most laughable of farces. Consider the latest data point. On May […]

Melissa RossMay 19, 2016

The Northeast Florida donor class is ramping up its efforts to support 4th Judicial Circuit State Attorney candidate and trial attorney Melissa Nelson. An appeal went out this week from Jacksonville’s Gary Chartrand, executive chairman of Acosta and a member of the State Board of Education. “This race represents what I have always valued in the […]

Tag: Melissa Nelson

State attorney candidates spar at Fleming Island forum

Melissa Nelson leads 4th Circuit State Attorney money race

Melissa Nelson fundraiser set for Atlantic Beach

Six-figure haul for Melissa Nelson’s ‘First Coast Values’ political committee

May was a quiet fundraising month for Lenny Curry’s political committee

State Attorney write-in suit has ‘motion to dismiss’ hearing in Jax court

Melissa Nelson hits Jax airwaves with ‘six-figure’ ad buy

Matt Shirk, Angela Corey to debate Wednesday … will the right questions be asked?

More evidence of sham write-in candidacy emerges in 4th Circuit State Attorney race

The fundraising push is ramping up for Melissa Nelson