With the 2014 general elections now in the rear view mirror, Florida politics will now focus on the First Coast with a number of key elections in Jacksonville and the surrounding area in the months to come.
Kicking things off on Dec. 16 will be the Democratic primary in the special election for a Florida House seat representing parts of Jacksonville. The seat had been held by former Rep. Reggie Fullwood, D-Jacksonville, who failed to properly complete his paperwork to run for re-election this year.
Blaming his failure to file his paperwork on a notary, Fullwood is looking to return to Tallahassee. But standing in his path is Jacksonville City Councilman Johnny Gaffney who is also running in the Democratic primary. A native of Jacksonville and a former University of Florida football player, Gaffney has been busy fundraising and will be a difficult opponent for Fullwood.
Whoever wins the Democratic primary on Dec. 16 will be a very heavy favorite to beat Republican Lawrence Jeff Jefferson in the Feb. 17 special election.
Other state legislative seats in the area will also be up for grabs. On Thursday, the Board of Governors unanimously confirmed Florida Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, to be president of Florida State University (FSU). With Thrasher starting his new post on Monday, he will vacate his seat in the Florida Senate. A special election will be called early next year to fill the seat which represents all of Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties and part of Volusia County.
Already there are some Republican candidates off and running for Thrashers seat. Rep. Doc Renuart, R-Ponte Vedra Beach, has already filed to run for the seat and has changed his websites to note he is running for the Senate and not the House.
Derek Hankerson, the Putnam County Tea Party chairman, has also filed to run for the seat. Hankerson challenged Thrasher in the Republican primary back in August and pulled in 30 percent of the vote.
While he has not yet filed to run, Rep. Travis Hutson, R-Palm Coast, is expected to run for Thrashers seat as well.
With Renuart expected to vacate his House seat to run for the Senate, three Republicans have already filed to run for it in yet another special election expected for early next year. St. Johns County Commissioner Cyndi Stevenson has already filed to run for the House seat in 2016 and is expected to move up her bid when the special election is set.
Attorney and Navy vet John Capra who ran for the Florida House in 2008, taking 12 percent and losing to Renuart in the Republican primary, is also looking to get to Tallahassee. Capra filed his paperwork to run in 2016 and will likely shift that over to run in the special election when it is called.
Also in the mix is another old Renuart foe: businessman Mike Davis. Based out of St. Augustine, where his family has run a building contracting company for more than 55 years, Davis took on Renuart in the Republican primary back in 2012. Renuart won with 39 percent and Davis came in second in the three-candidate race with 31 percent. Davis has already filed to run in 2016 and, like the others, is expected to move that up for the special election.
No candidates have filed so far for the House seat currently held by Hutson. The seat represents all of Flagler County and parts of St. Johns and Volusia counties. Like the seat currently held by Renuart, it is generally seen as a safe seat for Republicans.
While voters ready for a host of special elections for legislative seats, Duval County will hold its elections with a first round in March and runoffs in May.
Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is looking to be the first Democrat to win a second term since Jake Godbold in 1983. Former Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Lenny Curry and GOP City Councilman Bill Bishop are looking to topple Brown. Former state Rep. Mike Hogan, who won the first round in the 2011 mayoral election before being defeated by Brown in the runoff, is also a possible candidate. There are also three candidates running without support from the two major parties.
Duval County Property Appraiser Jerry Holland and Tax Collector Michael Corrigan, both Republicans, have filed to run again and neither candidate has yet drawn opposition. Seven candidates are running to replace retiring Duval County Sheriff John Rutherford.
Republican City Councilman Robin Lumb is running for Duval County supervisor of elections though he has said he will pull out if Hogan wants to run for the post instead of mayor. Deputy Elections Supervisor Tracie Davis is running as a Democrat.
There are also a host of City Council candidates including former Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Hazouri, a Democrat, looking to win a seat.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
