Rep. Daniel Davis, R-Jacksonville, is turning his focus from Tallahassee to Jacksonville. Davis was named president and CEO of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce on Friday, giving the rising First Coast Republican a vehicle to further his political ambitions.
Davis turned 40 this year and, while he has not exactly been a backbencher in the Florida House, he is a much larger player on the First Coast than he has been in Tallahassee. Besides heading up the Northeast Florida Builders Association as executive director, Davis was elected to the Jacksonville City Council when he was only 30 and rose to serve as its president.
Many political observers in the area consider Davis an up-and-comer. There has been speculation that he could be moving up the political escalator, and its no secret that Davis has mayoral aspirations.
When Jennifer Carroll was named as Rick Scotts running mate in 2010, Davis received the GOPs nomination from a panel of Republicans on the state committee from Clay and Duval counties. As no other candidates besides Carroll made the ballot, Davis, as her replacement, had no problem in November to represent parts of Clay and Duval counties in the Florida House. After redistricting in 2012, he now only represents parts of Duval County.
While there was some talk about him possibly being a contender to be a future House speaker after the 2016 elections, his efforts to grasp the gavel never really took off. Davis did serve in the House leadership as a deputy majority whip and heading up the Transportation and Highway Safety Subcommittee.
As a fundraiser, Davis has been extremely impressive, leading the current crop of House members by pulling in more than $95,000 during the first quarter of 2013. That's a feat considering he could not raise funds during the session and he holds a reliable Republican seat. Davis had had some legislative successes, including spearheading the efforts to repeal a law that would have required foreign visitors to get an international permit to drive in Florida.
With Davis heading to the Jacksonville Chamber, he should be able to remain politically active. At around 3,000 members and a $7 million annual budget, the chamber offers him a bully pulpit to expand his profile on the First Coast.
Davis has been mentioned as a possible Republican challenger to Mayor Alvin Brown in 2015, though with his new position, that seems less likely. Look for Davis to put his mayoral aspirations on hold until 2019, when Brown will be term-limited.
In the meantime, Davis said Friday he and the Jacksonville Chamber are deciding whether he will remain in the Florida House. Davis replaced Wally Lee who led the Jacksonville Chamber for more than two decades.
Tallahassee political writer Jeff Henderson wrote this analysis piece exclusively for Sunshine State News.
