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Republicans regroup for Jacksonville Mayor race as campaign season intensifies. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

From: Extensive Media Enterprises

There’s less than a year until the First Election in Jacksonville’s 2027 Mayoral race, and a prominent local Republican is bullish on his party’s chances to defeat Democratic incumbent Donna Deegan.

During an interview with Republican Party of Florida Chair Evan Power, House Speaker Pro Tempore Wyman Duggan said mistakes that were made in 2023 — when Deegan defeated Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Davis with the help of crossover Republican voters — won’t be repeated.

Republicans unify ahead of the 2027 Jacksonville Mayor race — Donna Deegan faces a challenge.

For starters, unlike three years ago in the race to replace term-limited Lenny Curry, Duggan says there will be only one major candidate running, not the three well-known names who ran then.

“I firmly believe that the people who are considering running next time have all agreed that there needs to be one consensus candidate,” Duggan said.

Names linked with the race, in addition to Duggan himself, include Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland and City Council members Rory Diamond and Ron Salem.

Duggan noted that Republicans are closing the historic voter registration gap with Democrats in the city and credits party discipline with the effort.

“We are doing all of the things, the blocking and tackling, the ground game that is necessary, to win that registration battle. … In ’23, when the current Democratic Mayor was elected, that differential was 23,000-plus Dem. Now it’s 4,000,” Duggan said.

“I think that election was decided with Republican votes, and we need to do the hard work of bringing those Republican voters home. And we’ve done that with the last budget, where the Council fought tooth and nail to get a property tax reduction, which the Mayor fought tooth and nail to not do, on top of a record budget. So, you know, I think the bottom lines are pretty clearly drawn for that upcoming race. And we’re going to do the hard work, no matter what it takes, no matter who the nominee is, to take that seat back.”

Six marginal candidates have already filed to run for the office, including three Republicans, two independents and one write-in. But despite the names on the ballot, Duggan would not consider any of them the leading nominee.

For Deegan, the goal is to get more than half the vote in March 2027. If she fails to do that, the top two finishers advance to the General Election in May.


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Born to run

Jacksonville Republican Rep. Dean Black could face opposition in November.

Chadd Charland, a 50-year-old no-party-affiliation candidate from Fernandina Beach, filed this week in House District 15, vowing to emphasize “equity, equality and the environment” during his campaign against an incumbent seeking his third term.

While he recognizes he faces an “uphill challenge” given the District's strong GOP lean in registration, Charland is running NPA because he doesn’t feel either party represents his interests, and because he doesn’t like the idea of an incumbent running unopposed.

Chadd Charland challenges Dean Black in HD 15 race — an uphill battle.

“A lot of people see the Democratic brand as toxic,” Charland says.

Charland tells Florida Politics he put his campaign together on short notice, and while he’s just getting started, he’s been speaking to groups throughout Nassau County to ascertain their concerns.

If elected, he looks to challenge Rayonier and its efforts to build an ethanol plant in the eastern part of Nassau, and to be a voice for people in West Nassau who want to protect the area’s “rural character” by helping to “put the brakes on sprawl and development.”

Despite the heavy Republican advantage in the District, he believes high gas prices, the “illegal and immoral war” against Iran and “Israeli genocide” may help to drive anti-Republican turnout that could give him a shot.

Black, the most recent former Chair of the Duval County Republican Party, is perhaps best known as the House sponsor of legislation favored by Gov. Ron DeSantis that seeks to eliminate local diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Wedding bell blues

Speaking of Rep. Black, he intends to continue pushing for a ban on marriages between first cousins that was considered in the Legislative Session as part of a larger bill.

He had filed HB 733, an amendment to the Department of Health package, which ultimately died amid irreconcilable differences between the Senate and House, but he tells Bold he will revisit the issue.

Dean Black to revive cousin marriage ban — HB 733 expected return.

The ban on cousin marriage has become a priority of Gov. DeSantis, who said this week that a prohibition on these unions was a “hanging curveball” and a way to fight against Islamification.

Freeman fundraising

Jacksonville City Council member Terrance Freeman is continuing to discourage any prospective challengers in his bid to succeed term-limited Wyman Duggan in southern Jacksonville’s HD 12.

All in, he’s raised nearly $445,000 combined between his campaign account and his political committee, For the Future We Want.

Terrance Freeman builds a $445K war chest for HD 12, making him the early frontrunner.

In Q1 of this year, he brought in more than $43,000 through his campaign account and an additional $38,500 through For the Future We Want.

“I’m thankful for the overwhelming support we continue to see from across Florida,” Freeman said. “While we are encouraged by the strong momentum behind this campaign, we are not taking anything for granted. We’re going to keep working every day to earn the trust of voters by fighting for economic growth, supporting law enforcement, and focusing on the issues that matter most to working families.”

From his campaign: “Notable contributors during the quarter include Ed Burr, David Hodges, Michael Munz, Tim Cost, Dane Grey, Scott Thomas, Hart Resources LLC, Waste Management, Duke Energy and CSX.”


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Moving on

A key Deegan staffer is leaving the city government this month.

Yanira Cardona will be taking a role with the Phoenix Arts Innovation District, wrapping a tenure as the city’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator, in which she stoked statewide controversy by going on social media and telling people where immigration enforcement was happening from her office at City Hall.

After a brief period of administrative leave, she was reinstated, which appears to have afforded her time to effectuate her exit.

Yanira Cardona exits City Hall after immigration posts controversy in Jacksonville.

Deegan said back in January that General Counsel Michael Fackler said Cardona’s comments, put on Instagram during business hours and apparently broadcast live from City Hall, were legal. That runs counter to Attorney General James Uthmeier’s interpretation, who said: “This is illegal and needs to be seriously addressed!”

“ICE is out and about,” Cardona said in the video. “They are doing speed traps. They are, they’ve been seen on Emerson, on Beach Boulevard, on Atlantic and on the highway. They are targeting, literally, they’re targeting any lawn care companies, any AC company construction vans. They’re literally stopping them just to make sure that they have their paperwork.”

Deegan said back then Cardona was speaking out of “compassion” to address “an immigrant population that is hurting” because of immigration enforcement, and expressed frustration that she had to respond with an “inordinate amount of energy” and provide “grist for the political mill” because Cardona’s comments were used as a “political whipping post.”


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Comeback kid

Former Jacksonville City Council member Reggie Gaffney Sr. has filed to run in District 10 in the 2027 elections, as he looks to return to the legislative body he served on from 2015 until 2022, when he resigned to pursue a state Senate seat.

Gaffney, a pragmatic Democrat who has worked well with Republicans throughout his political career, told Florida Politics that he was running locally because the people asked him to, and because he was encouraged to do so by many political heavyweights, including term-limited incumbent Ju’Coby Pittman.

Reggie Gaffney Sr. files for Jacksonville District 10 comeback race.

He had explored a run for the state House to replace Rep. Angie Nixon, who is running for United States Senate this cycle and won’t pursue re-election.

With Gaffney having passed on that campaign, former Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson is the sole candidate running in the heavily Democratic District north and west of the St. Johns River in Jacksonville.

His namesake son, Reggie Gaffney Jr., currently serves as a Jacksonville City Council member and is running for re-election. There is precedent for a father-son duo, as Matt Carlucci and Joe Carlucci both serve currently.

Current candidates include Democrats Keshan Gainey Chambliss, Vanessa Cullins Hopkins, Geraldine Ford-Hardin and Marsha Shuri McIntyre Lowe. Libertarian Jerry Rorabaugh is also running.

The District is the most Democratic in the city, and Nixon, who is running against former Lt. Col. Alex Vindman for the Democratic Senate nomination, has expressed interest in running.

Gaffney’s entering the race would complicate that fallback scenario for the three-term legislator.

Let’s do it again

Re-election campaigns are beginning officially for two Republican incumbents.

Nick Howland, who will be the next President of the Jacksonville City Council, is officially running for his at-large Group 3 seat again.

He launches with roughly $320,000 in his political committee, giving him a cash cushion along with the power of the gavel and the visibility that he brings during an election year.

Nick Howland and Ken Amaro launch re-election bids for Jacksonville City Council.

“I’m honored by the trust my colleagues and the voters of Jacksonville have placed in me,” Howland said. “I have led with common sense, a focus on protecting taxpayers, keeping our neighborhoods safe, and delivering real results for Jacksonville families, and I look forward to continuing that work both on the Council and as its next President.”

Former broadcast journalist Ken Amaro has also filed this week for his District 1 seat.

Amaro has been something of a swing vote on the City Council and is a current candidate for the vice presidency held by Howland.

Competition thus far is light. Democrat Demetris Harrison has raised a little more than $11,000 but has less than $2,000 on hand.


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School ties

Some well-known names in Florida politics are becoming Trustees at Florida State College at Jacksonville, including a current elected official.

April Carney, the current Vice Chair of the Duval County School Board, is among Gov. Ron DeSantis’ picks for the college’s Board of Trustees. DeSantis also supported Carney as a School Board candidate.

The president and interior designer for REDEW Design Build, Carney was elected in 2022, helping to transform the Board from center-left to conservative.

April Carney joins the FSCJ Board as Ron DeSantis names new trustees.

She has not filed for re-election yet, suggesting she may be considering running for another office. We understand an announcement is coming soon regarding her political plans.

DeSantis also appointed Virginia Berg to the FSCJ Board. She previously served as FSCJ’s Director of Government Relations. She may be best known to the statewide audience for her role as former Gov. Rick Scott’s Director of Appointments.

Berg currently serves as the Director of Major Gifts at Jacksonville University Law School.

Daniel Martell, the vice president of Regulatory Political Affairs for NextEra Energy Resources and a current member of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors, is also new to the Board.

Alan Wachs, a Partner at Smith Gambrell and Russell and Commissioner for the 5th District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission, rounds out the new appointees.

Thomas McGehee Jr., Rod Odom, Dr. Andrew Shaw and Orrin “Wayne” Young will all be returning to the Board as well.


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Mail call

Duval County Elections Supervisor Jerry Holland is “ready when you are” when it comes to vote-by-mail.

“Voting should fit into people’s lives,” said Holland. “The ‘Ready When You Are’ campaign lets voters know that vote-by-mail is available, secure, and designed to work on their schedule.”

Jerry Holland promotes vote-by-mail access ahead of the August Primaries.

A press release from Holland’s office says voters can request mail ballots before Aug. 6 to ensure they arrive in time for the Primaries later that month.

JAA CEO joins ACPAC

The top official of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) has been appointed to a federal panel.

Mark VanLoh is joining the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC). The Board evaluates and provides recommended protection policies for aviation customers in America.

VanLoh is still performing his duties as JAA CEO, a position he’s held for seven years. But the ACPAC post will see him serving as the airport operator representative on the Committee. His appointment lasts for two years.

Mark VanLoh joins the Federal Aviation Advisory Panel representing the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.

“Mark VanLoh’s representation of airport operations will greatly benefit the Department’s efforts to evaluate and improve aviation consumer protection programs,” said USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy. “His leadership at Jacksonville International Airport will add valuable perspectives that will help further the ACPAC mission.”

VanLoh said he’s honored to join the panel.

“It is my privilege to represent the U.S. DOT and Jacksonville in this important role on ACPAC. Our customers have built the Jacksonville Aviation Authority into a key gateway for our region, and I look forward to working with transportation leaders around the country to improve our service to our aviation consumers,” said VanLoh.

ACPAC was founded in 2012 under the Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act. The primary focus of the panel is to provide recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on enhanced protection programs.


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Palm Coast plans

Palm Coast is proceeding with the city’s search for a new Deputy City Manager.

About a week after Deputy City Manager Lauren Johnston said she’d be leaving her post for other professional opportunities, steps are now being taken to replace her.

“Palm Coast is truly a city on the rise,” said City Manager Mike McGlothlin. “We are looking for a collaborative, solutions-oriented leader who is ready to make a meaningful impact. Someone who can help us continue delivering high-quality services while enhancing the lifestyle our residents value.”

Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill is the Deputy City Manager until the city replaces Lauren Johnston. Images via the City of Palm Coast.

Candidates can apply online. Those interested can view the recruitment brochure.

Johnston was instrumental in bringing stability to Palm Coast’s administrative offices for about two years. She was appointed acting City Manager after the City Council abruptly fired City Manager Denise Bevan in 2024, barely a year into Bevan’s tenure.

Johnston served as acting City Manager until McGlothlin, the permanent replacement, was hired in December.

Palm Coast Fire Chief Kyle Berryhill is filling in as the interim Deputy City Manager. Berryhill has been with the Palm Coast Fire Department for more than two decades, advancing to Chief in 2022. He also serves as the city’s Incident Commander during major emergency events, such as hurricanes and other severe weather, leading operational response and coordination among Palm Coast Departments.

Big events return?

The Jacksonville sports calendar is anchored around college and professional football. And then there are annual events like the 26.2 with Donna, Gate River Run, and The Players Championship that have landmark dates every year.

And then there are the one-off events that come to town. Over the course of 2026, Jacksonville has already seen some major events, like the Florida High School Athletic Association basketball state tournament, the ASUN college basketball tournaments, a college baseball event featuring LSU, Notre Dame, UCF and Indiana, and the Atlantic Beach Classic golf tournament.

Jacksonville expands sports lineup as city eyes return of major national events.

There is more to come.

Among the events scheduled this year is the FHSAA Track & Field state championship, to be held May 6–9 at UNF.

The IRONMAN 70.3 regional triathlon is scheduled for May 16.

The AAU Primary National & Club Championship, also at UNF from July 4–11.

The Forever Fit 50 & Beyond: Jacksonville Senior Games are scheduled for Sept. 12- 18 and are held at multiple locations around town.

Jacksonville is attracting some interesting sporting events. But aside from the annual events, when will the area host another big-time event? For example, the city hosted the NCAA men’s basketball tournament four times from 2006 through 2019. But it has not been back since. Jacksonville is looking for more. The city bid on 16 NCAA Division I and II championships over the next two years.

The NCAA has announced host cities for the next two years of March Madness, and Jacksonville is not among them.

And then there is the NFL. While hosting the Super Bowl again is a long shot if the hotel situation remains as it is in Jacksonville, the Jaguars have, in the past, bid to host the NFL Draft. Perhaps the Stadium of the Future will bring more opportunities to host the league’s biggest non-game event.

For now, there are plenty of smaller events to attend until the big ones return.

As for local teams, the city will have grown by at least three teams from this time last year. Two pro soccer teams and a pro basketball team have been added to the local roster. The Sporting JAX women’s team debuted in August and has clinched a playoff spot in the Gainbridge Super League, the first pro women’s team of any sport in Jacksonville. Sporting JAX men have begun their inaugural season in the USL Championship, returning pro soccer to town. And the Jacksonville Waves will debut in the new four-team UpShot League on May 15. Add those teams to the Jumbo Shrimp, Icemen, Sharks and 95ers, and there are plenty of pro sports to be had.

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