A.G. Gancarski

A.G. Gancarski's columns were a staple in Folio Weekly for nearly two decades, and he has been the Northeast Florida correspondent for Florida Politics since 2014. He writes about the intersection of state and local politics and policy.

Featured image for “OPINION | Ron DeSantis doesn’t owe you an explanation”
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fist bumps with legislators Tuesday, March 2, 2021, as he enters the House of Representatives prior to his State of the State address at the Capitol in Tallahassee. | Phil Sears, Associated Press
January 2, 2022

OPINION | Ron DeSantis doesn’t owe you an explanation

Where was the governor at the end of 2021? Ron DeSantis stopped doing press events for the most part.  His…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | GOP 2023 race: Death, taxes, and Lenny Curry”
Lenny Curry discusses his campaign on TV on May 12, 2015. | AP Photo/Brendan Farrington
December 17, 2021

OPINION | GOP 2023 race: Death, taxes, and Lenny Curry

What to make of last week’s 13-5 Jacksonville City Council repudiation of LeAnna Cumber’s attempt to turn back the gas…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Polson’s problem”
December 12, 2021

OPINION | Polson’s problem

The First Election of the Jacksonville City Council At Large Group 3 race is in the books, and nobody won.…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Carlucci bails out”
Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Carlucci has abandoned his bid for mayor.
December 5, 2021

OPINION | Carlucci bails out

Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Carlucci surprised some people last week when he abandoned his bid for Jacksonville Mayor. Carlucci launched…

By A.G. Gancarski

November 28, 2021

OPINION | Primary battles to watch in 2022

We will have a few live August contests in this region next summer. While top-of-the-ticket stuff leaves some intrigue for…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Ron DeSantis doesn’t get Duval. Does he care?”
November 21, 2021

OPINION | Ron DeSantis doesn’t get Duval. Does he care?

In 2018, Gov. Ron DeSantis didn’t win Duval County in the general election race against Andrew Gillum. It was a…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Can Donna Deegan win?”
Deegan announced her candidacy for mayor on First Coast Connect with Melissa Ross.
November 14, 2021

OPINION | Can Donna Deegan win?

Fundraising isn’t everything. That is what every underfinanced candidate has said since the beginning of time. And that is also…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Confederate Cowards”
November 7, 2021

OPINION | Confederate Cowards

The wisdom of the Jacksonville City Council has always been a matter of debate.  This is the same group that…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | Stop prosecuting Corrine Brown”
Corrine Brown is pictured walking into a Oct. 2020 court appearance. | News4Jax
October 31, 2021

OPINION | Stop prosecuting Corrine Brown

Former Congresswoman Corrine Brown, who long represented part of the Jacksonville area until 2017, is set to stand trial for…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | 2023 mayoral hopefuls flex fundraising muscles”
October 24, 2021

OPINION | 2023 mayoral hopefuls flex fundraising muscles

Time was when a candidate could run for mayor or whatever they wanted in Duval County, armed with nothing more…

By A.G. Gancarski

Featured image for “OPINION | At least the politicians are still recyclable”
City recycling sites have been overfilled, or filled with non-recyclable items.
October 18, 2021

OPINION | At least the politicians are still recyclable

Problems are plaguing the city of Jacksonville’s recycling drop sites, and Mayor Lenny Curry’s Chief Administrative Officer Brian Hughes got…

By A.G. Gancarski

October 14, 2021

OPINION | Are Jax Democrats’ fears of taking risks holding them back?

For those who wondered about how their City Council districts were drawn, the ongoing redistricting process shows that the more…

By A.G. Gancarski