The First Coast is on former Gov. Mitt Romney's, R-Mass., mind this week as he gets involved in the Jacksonville mayoral race and receives an honorary degree from Jacksonville University (JU).
On Tuesday, Romney endorsed former Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) Chairman Lenny Curry in the runoff next month against Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown. Curry led the RPOF in the 2012 elections when Romney was the Republican candidate against President Barack Obama.
I have traveled our country working to advance conservative principles, and here in Florida Ive had a partner in Lenny Curry, Romney said on Tuesday. Lenny is committed to restoring conservative leadership to Jacksonville. As an accountant and business owner, his professional experiences make him the right person to deal with the citys finances. Lenny and his wife Molly have dedicated themselves to making Jacksonville a better place for their children and all families. I proudly support Lenny Curry, and ask all of Jacksonville to vote Lenny Curry for mayor.
Mitt Romney is a conservative leader with a passion to see America succeed, Curry said. In business and in public service, Gov. Romney has been a tireless advocate for freedom and prosperity. I am honored to have his support and endorsement, and I thank him for taking time to remind voters that conservative principles are the pathway to a better Jacksonville.
Romney will be the headliner for a fundraiser for Curry on Friday. Leading Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., a possible U.S. Senate candidate in 2016; former Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford; former Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton and businessman Wayne Weaver, who brought the National Football League (NFL) to the First Coast as the first owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars, are also hosting the fundraiser.
The Curry team also sent out a fundraising email from Romney this week in which the former presidential candidate connected Brown to national Democrats including former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the favorite for her partys presidential nomination next year. Brown is the first Democrat to hold the mayoral office since Ed Austin who was elected in 1991.
Browns team struck back as Yianni Varonis, a spokesman for the Jacksonville Democrat, went on the attack when he talked to the Florida Times-Union.
"It's little surprise that a candidate who was infamous for being out of touch with working families would stump for the equally out of touch Lenny Curry," Varonis told the Times-Union. "While Mayor Brown has spent four years working across the aisle to create 36,000 new jobs and not raise taxes, Lenny Curry has opposed all efforts to close the gender wage gap and other measures that would create economic opportunity for all Jacksonville citizens -- and not just the richest few."
Romney, who announced earlier this year that he would not make another try at the presidency, will give the commencement address and receive an honorary degree at JU's graduation ceremony on Saturday.Over the years, JU has focused on bringing political leaders to the First Coast, including President Gerald Ford after his White House tenure, President Lyndon Johnson during his days as John F. Kennedys vice president, U.S. Secretaries of State Dean Rusk and Colin Powell and third-party presidential hopeful Ross Perot.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
