Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 18, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry doesn’t make every JEA Board meeting. But he made the one after Hurricane Matthew on Tuesday. Curry’s attendance, once FloridaPolitics.com reported it last week, has been a matter of some speculation, especially since JEA CEO Paul McElroy said last week he was out of town during Hurricane Matthew, as JEA imposed an unreachable […]

A.G. GancarskiSeptember 19, 2016

The Duval County School Board has a special meeting slated for Friday morning; the topic, broadly, is “governance and administration.” What does that mean? School Board member Scott Shine believes this could mean the end of the tenure of Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. The board member who called the meeting, Ashley Smith-Juarez, has been a critic of Vitti’s communication […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 21, 2016

On Thursday, the Northeast Florida Builders Association (NEFBA) endorsed candidates in Northeast Florida races. “Endorsements are based on a candidate’s proven record or expressed commitment to supporting the housing and construction industry in the best interests of the community and the economy,” read the statement from NEFBA. Of interest are endorsements for open seats. In […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 14, 2016

With two seats up for grabs on the Duval County School Board, JAXBIZ (the nonpartisan political arm of the Jax Chamber) announced its endorsements Thursday. In Group 5, seven-term Jacksonville City Councilman Warren Jones got the nod. In Group 7, Greg Tison, general manager for Beaver Street Fisheries and property manager for Jacksonville Farmers Market, scored the endorsement. […]

A.G. GancarskiJuly 1, 2016

Former Jacksonville City Councilman Warren Jones took control of the District 5 School Board race in Duval County in June. The $16,150 he raised gives Jones over five times the money raised of the other three candidates in the race, Bradford Hall, Brenda Jordan, and Hank Rogers. Jones, the longest-tenured councilman in Jacksonville history, raised money from the Jacksonville political establishment, […]

A.G. GancarskiJune 24, 2016

Two powerful incumbents on the Duval County School Board got through the qualifying deadline without drawing opposition Friday, ensuring their re-election. Cheryl Grymes, targeted by at least one enterprising activist attempting to plant stories maligning her for taking money from charter school king Gary Chartrand, drew no opposition in School Board District 1. Grymes was criticized […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 18, 2016

It turns out that Warren Jones wasn’t the only big name being talked up for a run for Duval County School Board. Mike Hightower, JEA’s chief public affairs officer, was approached by some interested members of Jacksonville’s donor class for a potential school board run. He thought about it briefly — for about 14 hours — […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 18, 2016

Former Jacksonville City Councilman Warren Jones, who served 28 years on the council, will run for the Duval County School Board in Group 5, he told FloridaPolitics.com Wednesday. “I finally came to the conclusion yesterday,” Jones said, “after I found out [the incumbent] Connie Hall would not run.” Jones, who hasn’t been on a ballot since his […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 25, 2016

As of Sunday night, Rules Chairman Matt Schellenberg had three meetings scheduled Monday to engage support for his Jax City Council VP bid. Anna Brosche was his first. Schellenberg, a second term Republican representing Mandarin and Beauclerc, had introduced at-large candidate Brosche to voters in his Mandarin district last year during the campaign, as he did Sam Newby, […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 5, 2015

Arguably the most monumental election of Tuesday night, for those in Northeast Florida, wasn’t the St. Johns County Sales Tax referendum, but half a continent away: Houston voters rejected their city’s equal rights ordinance. The margin wasn’t close: 61 to 39 percent. The issue had been into a so-called “bathroom ordinance,” with opponents somehow reducing […]

Tag: Warren Jones

Hurricane Matthew blowback and reax dominate JEA Board meeting

Are Nikolai Vitti’s days numbered as Duval County school superintendent?

Northeast Florida Builders Association rolls out endorsements

JAXBIZ backs Warren Jones, Greg Tison for School Board seats

Former Jax Councilman Warren Jones takes over school board race

Cheryl Grymes, Ashley Smith-Juarez draw no Duval School Board opponents

Mike Hightower for Duval school board? Thought about it, ruled it out

Former Jax Councilman Warren Jones will run for Duval County School Board

Jax Council VP candidate Matt Schellenberg questions Aaron Bowman’s independence from Chamber

Despite fall of Houston HERO, “fully inclusive” Jax HRO push is full steam ahead