Featured image for “OPINION | The ‘resign to run’ trap”
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, center, and Jax Chamber of Commerce CEO Daniel Davis, left, rub shoulders in 2018. | WJCT News
November 20, 2022

OPINION | The ‘resign to run’ trap

I’ve written about politics in this town for many years and expressed my share of frustrations, including with candidates running…

Featured image for “OPINION | DeSantis’ and Trump’s freedom isn’t free”
Gov. Ron DeSantis holds his son Mason as he celebrates winning reelection. | AP
November 16, 2022

OPINION | DeSantis’ and Trump’s freedom isn’t free

Freedom.  That’s the word that’s been slung like dice since campaigning began for the 2022 midterm elections. Entire narratives were…

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November 8, 2022

THE JAXSON | The last days of Adventure Landing

For 27 years, Jacksonville Beach’s Adventure Landing has been one of the most popular attractions for kids and their families…

Featured image for “EXPLORE: Duval GOP leads early voting ahead of Election Day”
The Duval County Supervisor of Elections building. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
November 7, 2022

EXPLORE: Duval GOP leads early voting ahead of Election Day

About 30% of registered Duval County voters have already cast a ballot – that’s more than 136,000 people who voted…

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The new map Council passed on Friday | City of Jacksonville
November 6, 2022

OPINION | What redistricting reveals about the Jacksonville City Council

Anyone from a dysfunctional family would have felt at home during Friday’s redistricting schmozz on the Jacksonville City Council.  Proving…

Featured image for “OPINION | Are we irretrievably broken?”
A protester and counter-protester talk outside the Duval County Courthouse after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs in June of 2022. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
November 2, 2022

OPINION | Are we irretrievably broken?

The attack ads this election cycle have been vicious. Opponents on both sides have been characterized as racist, dangerous, liars…

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Photo: Brendan Rivers
October 31, 2022

OPINION | Mayor’s race should be about Jax, not parties

While the political world is hyper-focused on the midterm elections, the day after next Tuesday’s voting opens another chapter in…

Featured image for “Could Duval’s Black voters dictate the Florida midterms? ”
Daryl D. Jones with the D.C.-based Transformative Justice Coalition speaks in Jacksonville on Oct. 21, 2022, at a get-out-the-vote rally. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 25, 2022

Could Duval’s Black voters dictate the Florida midterms? 

Moné Holder does not need to be reminded of the importance of next month’s elections. “If we’re about to energize,…

Featured image for “OPINION | Molly against the machine”
Duval County sheriff candidates T.K. Waters, right, and Lakesha Burton, left, participated last month in a debate hosted by Jacksonville Today. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
October 23, 2022

OPINION | Molly against the machine

Dozens of endorsements are flying, and most of them are of the “Well, it would be news if they didn’t…

Featured image for “OPINION | Will Crist’s empty bus hurt in North Florida?”
Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist speaks on Sept. 12, 2022, in Miami.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
October 9, 2022

OPINION | Will Crist’s empty bus hurt in North Florida?

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist brought his “Together Florida Tour” to Northeast Florida last week. Sort of. The Crist campaign…

Featured image for “OPINION | Auditing Lenny Curry’s budget legacy”
In this file photo, Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry presents his proposed budget for 2021-2022 to the Jacksonville City Council. | WJCT News
September 25, 2022

OPINION | Auditing Lenny Curry’s budget legacy

If Jacksonville hadn’t faced budget crunches for years coming out of the 2008 crash, Mayor Lenny Curry might never have…

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Artwork from the Deborah Roberts exhibit I'm, now on display at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens through Dec. 4th. | Cummer Museum
September 21, 2022

OPINION | Battle for the best of us

Over the weekend, I visited the Cummer Museum for the opening of the Deborah Roberts exhibition I’m. On a large…

Featured image for “Jacksonville Sheriff debate: Waters highlights experience and Burton champions change ”
Jacksonville sheriff candidates T.K. Waters, right, and Lakesha Burton, left, participate in a debate hosted by Jacksonville Today and the Jax Bar Association on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022.
September 15, 2022

Jacksonville Sheriff debate: Waters highlights experience and Burton champions change 

Jacksonville sheriff candidates Lakesha Burton (D) and T.K. Waters (R) answered questions about crime, police misconduct, money and more during…

Featured image for “OPINION | Jax’s next sheriff should build bridge with City Hall”
Photo: Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
September 14, 2022

OPINION | Jax’s next sheriff should build bridge with City Hall

It’s September in Jacksonville, which brings some potential relief from brutal summer heat, a heightened focus on tropical weather activity,…

Featured image for “OPINION | What we learned from the August elections”
April Carney, right, was among three local candidates who won primaries in Jacksonville after landing Gov. Ron DeSantis' endorsement. | Raymon Troncoso, WJCT News
August 28, 2022

OPINION | What we learned from the August elections

The 2022 primaries taught us a lot about how surprises are possible in local politics, even if some things stay…

Featured image for “Rutherford, Cammack, Bean roll in Republican primaries; Holloway leads by tiny margin in D4 Dem contest”
Former state Sen. Aaron Bean celebrates winning the Republican primary for Congressional District 4. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 23, 2022

Rutherford, Cammack, Bean roll in Republican primaries; Holloway leads by tiny margin in D4 Dem contest

John Rutherford will return to Congress for a fourth term in the House of Representatives. The Jacksonville congressman defeated challengers…

Featured image for “Jax councilmen defeated in bids for Legislature, as House and Senate races all but decided in several local districts”
Several local House district races were essentially settled in Tuesday's primary or before.
August 23, 2022

Jax councilmen defeated in bids for Legislature, as House and Senate races all but decided in several local districts

Two Jacksonville City Council members fell short in their bids to springboard to seats in the state Legislature in Tuesday’s…

Featured image for “Waters, Burton advance to sheriff runoff; Clark-Murray clinches council seat; Gaffney Jr. favored in November race”
Lakesha Burton and T.K. Waters will face off for Jacksonville Sheriff on November 8.
August 23, 2022

Waters, Burton advance to sheriff runoff; Clark-Murray clinches council seat; Gaffney Jr. favored in November race

Tuesday’s municipal special elections narrowed the field in races for sheriff city council and decided another council seat.…

Featured image for “Duval voters approve higher tax for schools; DeSantis-endorsed School Board candidates win”
The Duval Citizens for Better Schools PAC, which is funding ads in favor of a school property tax referendum, raised more than $200,000 since May.
August 23, 2022

Duval voters approve higher tax for schools; DeSantis-endorsed School Board candidates win

The Duval school district is getting another financial boost from voters. With 53% of the vote, Duval voters on Tuesday…

Featured image for “Duval’s Black voters have mixed thoughts on congressional redistricting”
Tiffany Smith, left, and longtime Sherwood resident Angela Lee discuss candidate information on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. | Will Brown, Jacksonville Today
August 21, 2022

Duval’s Black voters have mixed thoughts on congressional redistricting

Tuesday’s primary election will likely begin to close the book on a three-decade run of Black congressional representation in Jacksonville,…

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Image: DeSantis campaign via Twitter
August 17, 2022

OPINION | DeSantis’ influence key in local GOP elections

As the 2022 primary draws to a close, several storylines have emerged at the local, state and federal levels: Former…

Featured image for “OPINION | Expect status quo for JSO after ‘22 election”
All five Jacksonville sheriff's candidates attended a July 20th forum. | Claire Heddles, Jacksonville Today
August 14, 2022

OPINION | Expect status quo for JSO after ‘22 election

Is reform coming to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office during the post-Mike Williams era? Based on what we’ve seen thus far…

Featured image for “OPINION | For candidates, public scrutiny is part of the process”
Photo: Bill Bortzfield, WJCT
August 3, 2022

OPINION | For candidates, public scrutiny is part of the process

The primary season in Florida politics is always brutal. Because primaries involve battles between members of the same political party,…

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Photo: AP
July 31, 2022

OPINION | August is the cruelest month

T.S. Eliot famously posited that “April is the cruelest month.” This tells us that he didn’t follow primary politics in…