A Surprise Candidate in Jax Mayoral Battle: Alvin Brown

Is there anyone in Jacksonville who is not running for mayor? Today, in a bit of a surprise, Alvin Brown, a former staffer in the Clinton administration, announced he is running for mayor of Jacksonville. While Brown has not run for anything since a failed bid to knock off U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown in 1994, he has been very active on the First Coast, most recently working at Jacksonville University. With a large crowd of Republicans battling for the GOP nod, Brown will have only one opponent in the Democratic field, City Councilwoman Glorious Johnson.

While Brown has never won an election in Jacksonville, he may be able to use Johnson's record against her. Johnson was initially elected as a Republican before switching sides. Johnson, perhaps the only African-American politician in Florida's history to ever wear a sweatshirt with the Confederate flag and reading "Equal Rights for Southern Whites," could be in for a battle, especially if Brown is able to raise funds.