The match-up is set.
Last night, Jacksonville held their 2023 mayoral primary, a nonpartisan contest in name only as several Democrats and Republicans vied for the right to lead the city.
Former TV anchor and Democratic Congressional nominee Donna Deegan, as well as Chamber of Commerce President and former Republican City Councilman Daniel Davis, finished in the top two and will therefore advance to the May 16th general election.
With apparently all of the precincts in, Deegan is out ahead of the pack with 66,160 votes or 39.43%. Davis came next with 41,492 votes, or 24.73%. If either of them had been able to win a majority of the vote, they could’ve avoided the general, but as it is they’ll both advance instead.
Falling short was Republican Councilman Al Ferraro, who finished in third place with 27,256 votes (16.24%). The other Democratic candidate in the race, former State Senator Audrey Gibson, was next with 14,433 votes (8.60%). Rounding out the major contenders was Republican Councilwoman LeAnna Cumber and her 12,715 votes (7.58%).
The great Matthew Isbell had an instant breakdown of the vote, which featured the entirety of Duval County and not just the city of Jacksonville. The city, though, was the main base of support for Deegan. Meanwhile, Davis performed best in the western and southeastern portions of the county, whereas Ferraro scored his strongest numbers in the northeast.
Since the eternity of Duval County determines Jacksonville’s Mayor, it’s one of the few cities in America that tends to have Republican mayors. For instance, the GOP has held this office for twenty-six of the last thirty years, giving Deegan a rare opportunity to flip the city blue.
We’ll be keeping an eye on this race as we approach the May 16th general election, so make sure to visit Decision Desk HQ that night for results in this contest as well as primaries throughout the nation.