JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The four candidates for mayor of Jacksonville say they are following up on Wednesday night's final televised debate with a push for a win next Tuesday.
Some of the candidates says they picked up momentum in the News4Jax debate and believe the one-quarter that voters identified in polling earlier in the month are now ready to make a choice.
Mayor Alvin Brown began Thursday pointing out what he said where 100 accomplishments of this administration since he took office. Political observers pointed out he may have had the worst showing from the debate, but the mayor leads in the polls.
"I made a promise to create more jobs and grow business and stop wasteful spending and improve education, focus on crime prevention and intervention and that I would work across the aisle with Republicans, independents and Democrats to put Jacksonville first," Brown said. "I kept my word and delivered."
City Councilman Bill Bishop, who many observers say won the debate, said he's had many accomplishment while serving on council, including keeping Bank of America jobs in Jacksonville. Now he has a big job to do before Election Day.
"Its a full court press of everything: getting signs out, getting sign-wavers out, communication with people, last-minute advertising buys and, just now, until canvasing, showing up at voting sites and waving signs until now until Tuesday," Bishop said.
Omega Allen, who was in single digits in the polls but observers said made a very strong showing in the debate, is using that to move ahead.
"Keep doing what I am doing ... putting one foot in front of the other and talking to as many people as I can," said Allen. "Keeping the momentum going, trying to find out more what the citizens want, but I am also looking forward to after Tuesday -- hopefully getting ready to go into office."
Republican Lenny Curry was not available for an interview on Thursday, saying he was busy working the phones. Both the Curry and Brown campaigns sent emails urging donations to fund their "final stretch."