December 16, 2024
At least two of Mayor Donna Deegan’s early moves will go down in history. The new local Republican Party chair…
A.G. Gancarski's work can be seen in the Washington Post, the New York Post, Florida Politics, the Washington Times, and National Review, among other publications. He writes about the intersection of state and local politics and policy.
December 2, 2024
OPINION | It’s time for Donna Deegan to cross party lines
December offers a chance for Mayor Donna Deegan to build relationships that she might not have wanted but that the…
November 18, 2024
OPINION | Mike Waltz leaves Congress, and the fight to replace him begins
It was only a matter of time and figuring out the right position once Donald Trump got elected president. That’s…
November 4, 2024
OPINION | What does Jacksonville need from the election? And what does DeSantis want from it?
Does Jacksonville benefit more from Harris or Trump? And whose victory benefits Ron DeSantis more?…
October 21, 2024
OPINION | We haven’t heard the last of Deegan’s ‘concentration camp’ gaffe
A.G. Gancarski predicts the blowback over Mayor Donna Deegan’s remarks will continue to dog her, both with imminent City Council…
October 7, 2024
OPINION | Jacksonville’s approach to state homeless law will lead to court battles
Residents and business owners who don’t think the city is doing its job will be able to sue starting Jan.…
September 22, 2024
OPINION | Will Jacksonville regret its stadium spend?
This month’s stress test on local drainage systems suggests money to help Shad Khan monetize his team may have been…
September 9, 2024
OPINION | Democrats need to decide on Florida play
The Harris campaign has an opportunity to make a statement in the Sunshine State and they could do it in…
August 26, 2024
OPINION | Northeast Florida voters want authenticity in state legislative candidates
Primary voters made it clear yet again that they value authentic candidates, whether Democrats or Republicans.…
August 12, 2024
OPINION | ‘The silly season nears a close! Will we be laughing in the end?’
Florida primary elections are a reminder that the most partisan and least moderate candidates often prevail and shape our laws.…
July 28, 2024
OPINION | The presidential election is a #jaxpol proxy war and the stakes are high for both sides.
Much is at stake in this election, not least of which for local political figures, many of whom have a…
July 12, 2024
OPINION | What Jacksonville City Council Republicans expect from Mayor Deegan’s budget
Mayor Donna Deegan is set to present her second year’s budget proposal on Monday.…
June 30, 2024
OPINION | Why is Tom Leek all over your TV when you probably can’t vote for him?
Tom Leek’s establishment cred and big spending haven’t helped him in what’s now a three-way primary battle.…
June 16, 2024
OPINION | Duval Democrats, Republicans take different paths to August primaries
Ultimately, it’s all but certain that Duval will be represented by two Democrats and five Republicans after the fall elections.…
June 3, 2024
OPINION | The art of the deal: Donna Deegan’s stadium triumph
Part of the reason the stadium deal sold itself locally is that Jacksonville leadership tethers so much importance to being…
May 20, 2024
OPINION | Let the sunshine in: Local government’s transparency problem
Government is at a low ebb when it comes to accessibility, and in Jacksonville, you can find support for that…
May 5, 2024
OPINION | Remedial education: It’s time for an elected superintendent
It’s time for Jacksonville to consider a strong, elected superintendent model such as most counties in the state have. …
April 17, 2024
OPINION | Bob Graham’s legacy and its lessons for today
Graham was arguably the last of the great governors of the state, one who could talk to “old Florida” and…
April 7, 2024
OPINION | Jacksonville deserves a stadium referendum
Why can’t Jacksonville taxpayers weigh in on the biggest capital obligation in local history?…
March 25, 2024
OPINION | Why the Deegan-Biden dynamic matters to Jacksonville this November
Mayor Deegan – who often talks about working across party lines – is going to be incentivized to be a…
February 25, 2024
OPINION | The reality of divided government
For Mayor Donna Deegan and this City Council, it will take negotiation and the time-honored principle of “getting to yes”…
February 11, 2024
OPINION | Did white supremacists kill the Confederate monument bill?
If the bill is dead, thank the loud-mouthed racists who got it through the Senate’s head what monument-protection bills are…
January 29, 2024
OPINION | Will Donald Trump unite Jacksonville Republicans?
Republicans, led by the chair of the Duval County party, are being compelled to unite behind Trump weeks before the…
January 15, 2024
OPINION | Where is the stadium deal?
The set-up couldn’t have been better for stadium negotiations. Now, it’s the same old Jagwires, bumbling on the field and making…