JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With five weeks to go until the city of Jacksonville’s first election, Republican mayoral candidate Anna Brosche has raised one-tenth of what the incumbent, Republican Mayor Lenny Curry, has raised, according to the latest campaign finance reporting.
Between his campaign and the Jacksonville On the Rise political committee supporting him, Curry has raised more than $4.7 million, with the bulk of that money still available. Brosche’s total from her campaign and the committee supporting her, A New Day PC, is $449,100.
Recommended Videos
Monday, A New Day PC submitted its first campaign finance reports to the state division of elections, reporting a total of $374,000. The largest individual contribution to the committee came from former Jaguars owner and local philanthropist Delores Barr Weaver, who gave $25,000.
The bulk of the committee’s money -- $325,000 -- came from another political action committee, Floridians for Accountability and Transparency. Retired CSX CEO Michael Ward was the largest contributor to that committee, giving a total of $160,000. Jacksonville accounting firm Jack Meeks & Associates gave a total of $50,000, and Weaver gave an additional $25,000 to that committee.
The committee’s money is in addition to the fundraising by Brosche’s campaign itself. As of the latest reporting deadline in early February, Brosche’s campaign had raised $75,099.98. Those contributions are capped at $1,000 per donor, although Brosche had loaned her campaign $15,000.
Brosche’s campaign and committee first started raising money in mid-January, when Brosche, a member of the city council, announced she would run for mayor. Since the A New Day committee was organized through the state elections division and not the Duval County Supervisor of elections, it follows a different reporting schedule. Monday’s state reporting deadline was the first since Brosche’s committee was formed.
Curry’s campaign started raising money in March 2018 and has collected $472,730 through the end of January. The Jacksonville On The Rise committee has raised more than $4.2 million. The largest contribution the committee -- $545,000 -- came from Build Something That Lasts, a political committee that supported Curry prior to its closure in 2018. Among the largest individual contributors to Jacksonville on the Rise are former Jaguars co-owner Wayne Weaver, who gave $100,000, and current Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who gave $75,000.
The other two candidates in the mayoral race, Republican Jimmy Hill and no party affiliation candidate Omega Allen, have smaller campaign accounts. As of the latest finance reporting, Hill has raised $12,981 and Allen has raised $9,870.
The first election will be held on March 19, and it is open to all registered Duval County voters, regardless of party affiliation. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, then the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, will proceed to the general election on May 14.