Florida Democrats flip the Jacksonville mayor’s office in a major upset

Not an upset. She led in virtually every poll. I suspect that crime was the leading issue. Even a prominent Republican city councilman endorsed her. Jax remains one of the least liberal metropolitan areas in the U.S.

 

The leading issue was the fact that the Republican candidate ran a nasty divisive campaign and was tied to the efforts to sell the JEA. While the Democratic candidate was a well-known TV newswoman and ran an inclusive campaign.

 

I know, the Republican wanted to jail blacks and gays for being black and gay.

 

There's really no reason to act that way. If you don't want to have a real conversation. just don't post.

 

That’s not what a political “upset” means. Four of the last five mayors of Jacksonville have been Republicans, going back 20 years, and the outgoing Republican mayor has been in office since 2015. The context is that Republican Party is the favorite over the Democratic Party in Jax. It was not about the individuals. Especially, with the support of a very popular (in Florida) Governor Desantis.

 

Weird that the Republican strategy of telling cities to drop dead backfired in a city

 

It wasn’t an upset because the city has gone back and forth, between Dems and Pubs, over the decades ( Had a black Dem mayor ) recently and crime was the overriding issue. It’s being framed as a loss for DeSantis because DeSantis Derangement.

 

I think a lot of that had to do with Charlie Crist being the most uninspiring candidate they could put up against Ron. I couldn't bring myself to vote for Charlie.

And as @rivergator mentioned, the general feel of the campaign in Jax was Deegan ran a very inclusive, inspired campaign, and Davis just went low. I know that was also an issue, along with JEA

 

If crime was the main issue for most people, I think Davis would have won. He was backed by TK Waters and advertised heavily on a crime based campaign. I suspect, as River stated, that the JEA debacle, as well as a "same ole, same ole" feel with Davis being part of the establishment, had much to do with her win. I hope she governs on the "Mayor for all" platform she campaigned on.

 

I also think people have more pressing issues in Jacksonville than the war against Mickey Mouse, education, and drag shows.

 

I doubt he cares. Ron is about Ron.

 

You had GOP officials supporting the Dem. Guy must of had issues. Most of his adds had his wife speaking, not him.

 

Davis was a robot. There's a reason he dodged debates and wasn't on TV.

 

Davis actually came to my door campaigning. I was too busy to talk much

 

Deegan is only the 2nd Dem to win Jacksonville's mayoral race in 30 years. How is that considered back and forth over decades? Please explain.

 

posted in the Jax thread but Niki Fried and the dem party made Jax a priority and dedicated resources. AMazing what can happen when you actually make an intelligent, funded effort. It has been a loooooong time since the Dem party did that in the state.

and although Jacksonville is a city, it is a very red city due to the city limits being the county limits. Not an urban center by any imagination

 

did you forget about the drug addicted, mayor under federal investigation for corruption they ran the first time? Gillum certainly didn't inspire me

OT - but curiosity got me and all fed charges were dropped yesterday. backstory?
Andrew Gillum corruption case: Judge grants request to drop charges (tallahassee.com)

A federal judge overseeing the Andrew Gillum corruption case has granted federal prosecutors' request to dismiss charges against the former Tallahassee mayor and Democratic gubernatorial nominee and his political mentor. In a Monday morning filing in U.S. District court, the government "respectfully moves that this court dismiss theindictment against the Defendants Andrew Gillum and Sharon Lettman-Hicks."

The government did not comment on the move, which came after the Tallahassee Democrat reported that jurors overwhelmingly favored acquitting the two and urged prosecutors to drop the case. Judge Allen Winsor issued an order completely dismissing the case making the move official. He canceled a previously scheduled hearing set for Wednesday.
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The acquittal, partial mistrial and outright dismissal marked a major defeat for the government and its long-running and costly Operation Capital Currency investigation, which saw undercover FBI agents posing as crooked developers descend on Tallahassee starting in 2015.

The investigation led to prison time and guilty pleas in 2019 from former Mayor and City Commissioner Scott Maddox and his aide, Paige Carter-Smith, and guilty verdicts against their co-defendant, developer John “J.T.” Burnette, at the end of his 2021 trial.