When running for re-election, it’s good to have some blocking in front of you. And no one knows blocking like those in the NFL.
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan’s “Duval for All” committee got a big boost from the local franchise last month, as owner Shad Khan continues his tradition of supporting incumbents who help out the Jaguars.
The team gave the committee $150,000 on June 23, which is one of the three biggest donations the account has recorded to date.
Khan and the Jaguars supported the re-election bids of former Mayors Alvin Brown and Lenny Curry, and even hosted a fundraiser for Brown’s unsuccessful campaign for Congress in 2018.
This time around, Khan should be especially grateful to Deegan, whose administration worked hard to get a stadium renovation deal passed at a roughly 50/50 cash split.
Key to that was creative financing; a half-cent sales tax already in place through 2060 to complete Jacksonville Journey obligations and pay off legacy pension debt is funding the government’s share.
As of June 26, which is the closing date for the latest reports with the state Division of Elections, the political committee is nearing $2.2 million raised and has roughly $200,000 on hand.
Deegan has yet to file her first campaign finance report. That is due this week.
But the nine opponents who have filed already are not raising much money, with $30,000 brought in between them. And most of what has been brought in has been spent already.
Ronald Armstrong, a socially conservative Republican, has raised more than $26,000, but only had $6,000 on hand at last count.
Independent candidate Brandon Enamorado has raised less than $4,000 and has spent all but $80.
Qualifying is in January. The first election, which pits all qualified candidates against each other, is two months later. If no candidate has majority support, the top two finishers square off on the May ballot.