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<\/a>New Democratic filings are reshaping Northeast Florida House races ahead of qualifying week.<\/p>\nIn HD 11, House Speaker-designate Sam Garrison<\/a> initially had a speed-bump Primary opponent in the underfunded Antoinette Harmon, but Democrat Marci Marie White<\/a> is now also running. He has more than $3.3 million cash on hand between his campaign account and the \u201cHonest Leadership\u201d political committee.<\/p>\n In HD 13, four Democrats are now running to replace departing Angie Nixon, including former Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson and former state House hopeful Leslie Scott Jean-Bart. Political newcomers Brandon Groover and Christopher Thomas are also in the mix.<\/p>\n This could end up being an open Primary unless a random NPA candidate materializes to close it to Democrats, as so often happens in these races without consequence because mainstream media doesn\u2019t bother paying attention to them.<\/p>\n HD 14 incumbent Kimberly Daniels will face a Primary challenge again. This time around, it\u2019s Elgin Foreman, Jr. He volunteers with the Northside Coalition of Jacksonville.<\/p>\n In HD 15, Rep. Dean Black has no Republican competition for renomination. However, Democratic competition has emerged here, too, with Christopher Lloyd \u201cVan\u201d Cima running.<\/p>\n Former state House candidate Lloyd Caulker is also in the mix, as is Chadd Charland. Both are running as NPAs.<\/p>\n In HD 16, Republican incumbent Kiyan Michael\u2019s Democratic challenger is Eli Johnson.<\/p>\n Two Democrats, Heather Smith and Art Stresing, are challenging Rep. Kim Kendall in HD 18. Democrats Suzanne Pavelle and Lee Butler are challenging Reps. Sam Greco and Judson Sapp in HD 19 and 20.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet<\/p>\n Fired up<\/p>\n Firefighters from two of the three counties in Florida\u2019s 4th Congressional District support incumbent U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean<\/a> in his campaign for a third term in Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be endorsed by our local Clay and Nassau County firefighters,\u201d said Bean. \u201cOur first responders are integral to keeping our communities safe, strong and resilient, as they\u2019re the ones that answer the call when Floridians need help the most. If reelected to serve Northeast Florida in Congress, I will continue to support our front-line heroes in our nation\u2019s capital, fighting for them and the support and resources they need to be able to show up in Floridians\u2019 time of need.\u201d<\/p>\n Jasen Hernandez, president of Clay County Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 3362, credits Bean with always being willing to \u201clisten to the concerns of front-line firefighters regarding staffing, overtime, cancer prevention, mental health, and public safety funding.\u201d<\/p>\n Wes Gill, president of Nassau County Fire Rescue Professionals Local 3101, said Bean \u201chas supported fire and EMS professionals, backed public safety and first responders, and delivered for Nassau County and Northeast Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n This completes the meaningful endorsements from fire unions in CD 4 this cycle. The Jacksonville Association of Fire Fighters (JAFF<\/a>) endorsed Democrat Michael Kirwan<\/a> back in March.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet<\/p>\n Storm prep<\/p>\n If you\u2019re reading this in southern St. Johns or south, you should be happy to know your Congressman and Senator want you to be safe this hurricane season.<\/p>\n Randy Fine and Rick Scott are hosting a Hurricane Preparedness Tele-Town Hall on June 4, 2026, at 6 p.m.<\/p>\n To join, dial 833-946-1538; the start time may change based on congressional votes.<\/p>\n \u201cHurricane season is here, and being informed and prepared can make all the difference. During this live conversation, Sen. Scott and I will discuss the latest updates from Washington, hurricane preparedness resources, and what families can do now to stay safe before a storm hits. We will also take questions directly from constituents,\u201d Fine says.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet <\/p>\n Trinidad bound<\/p>\n A Northeast Florida politician and former Florida Lt. Governor is on the cusp of becoming the newest U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n President Donald Trump announced this week that he wants Jennifer Johnson-Carroll to oversee the diplomatic post. Johnson-Carroll is a Trinidadian American with ancestral roots in the island nation. That was part of the reason Trump made the nomination.<\/p>\n Johnson-Carroll is a longtime political figure not only in the state, but also on the First Coast, where her political career gained momentum. The Republican was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2003, replacing another entrenched Republican, Mike Hogan, who resigned from the post. She served in the HD 13 seat until 2010.<\/p>\n Former Gov. Rick Scott and now U.S. Senator, elevated Johnson-Carroll to Lt. Governor in 2011 as she was his running mate in the 2010 campaign. She was the first Black woman in the state\u2019s history to hold that post.<\/p>\n Since then, she\u2019s also served as Chair of Space Florida, the state\u2019s aerospace development bureau.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet<\/p>\n Early start<\/p>\n Those voting in Duval County\u2019s August Primary will be picking a new City Council member, as term-limited Terrance Freeman<\/a> announced plans to step down amid a House bid.<\/p>\n Freeman, who was appointed to the Jacksonville City Council in 2018, then elected in 2019 and 2023, said his resignation is effective either on Nov. 2 or in August, depending on when a replacement is elected.<\/p>\n He is running to replace term-limited Republican Rep. Wyman Duggan in House District 12.<\/p>\n The August election, which is countywide since Freeman is one of five at-large members of the Council, will be open to all voters, since Jacksonville\u2019s local Primaries are nonpartisan. If one candidate gets a majority, the election is decided; otherwise, the top two face off during the November General Election.<\/p>\n Three candidates were running for Freeman\u2019s seat in the 2027 General Election.<\/p>\n Republican Deborah Wesley<\/a>, a Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office<\/a> Commander, is the choice of 10 current members of the City Council. She has raised nearly $80,000 as of the end of March.<\/p>\n Libertarian Addison Jade Patrick has raised nearly $500. Independent Nancy Quinones has yet to report fundraising.<\/p>\n Those looking to qualify by petition will need 1,855 signatures. Otherwise, they will have to pay $3,408 if they are members of a party or $2,272.16 if unaligned.<\/p>\n Qualifying runs from noon on June 11 to noon the next day.<\/p>\n Freeman is well-positioned for his Primary. He has raised nearly $445,000 combined between his campaign account and his political committee, For the Future We Want.<\/p>\n In Q1 of this year, he brought in more than $43,000 through his campaign account and an additional $38,500 through his PC.<\/p>\n He is currently unopposed in the HD 12 race.<\/p>\n Both sides now<\/p>\n Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan<\/a> is showing strength and bipartisan support in one of her first major fundraisers for her 2027 re-election campaign.<\/p>\n The high-powered host committee for Thursday\u2019s event in Riverside included several major players who have previously contributed large sums to Republicans.<\/p>\n The big names include real estate magnate and Gov. Ron DeSantis ally Mori Hosseini<\/a>, Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan<\/a> (who helped to fund President Donald Trump\u2019s first inauguration), and Tampa Bay Rays co-owner Patrick Zalupski<\/a>. Zalupski is another DeSantis ally who, like Hosseini, is on the University of Florida Board of Trustees.<\/p>\n Hosseini was a major proponent of the University of Florida campus that came to Jacksonville. Khan derived benefit from the public-private partnership that funds stadium renovations. And Zalupski\u2019s Dream Finders<\/a> Homes has been highly active in the local and state political process.<\/p>\n Other names historically associated with Republican political causes are also on the host committee, including JEA Board member John Baker, Ambassador John Rood,\u00a0Kerri Stewart, real estate developer Andy Allen, and former Trump aide Omarosa Manigault Newman.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m grateful to receive the support of business leaders from across the political spectrum. I appreciate their support of my leadership and all the progress we\u2019re making in Jacksonville,\u201d Deegan exclusively told Florida Politics on Thursday.<\/p>\n Though the formal campaign is just beginning, Deegan has already begun fundraising<\/a>. The aligned Duval for All<\/a> political committee has raised more than $1.62 million and has spent less than $177,000.<\/p>\n No serious opposition has filed for the former newscaster.<\/p>\n Nick of time<\/p>\n The Jacksonville City Council<\/a> is elevating Vice President Nick Howland<\/a> to President in July. It has selected Joe Carlucci as the next Vice President after a spirited campaign for the job, which is generally a springboard to the top.<\/p>\n Howland, a Navy veteran who represents at-large Group 3, was first elected in a 2022 Special Election. He\u2019s running again in 2027 and has more than $320,000 banked for his re-election bid.<\/p>\n During his year leading the Council, Howland vowed to focus on public safety, infrastructure, making Jacksonville attractive to businesses without using taxpayer dollars, and giving Citizen Planning Advisory Committees a \u201cseat at the table\u201d to give neighborhoods a stronger voice.<\/p>\n Howland also wanted the Council to work \u201cas a team,\u201d even though it\u2019s an election year.<\/p>\n Howland\u2019s nomination was uncontested. The VP slot was not, however, with four candidates and two rounds of voting preceding the selection of Republican Carlucci in a 10-9 decision over Chris Miller.<\/p>\n Democrat Rahman Johnson and Republican Ken Amaro were eliminated in the first round.<\/p>\n Howland says job creation and public safety will be his priorities, per First Coast News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tweet, tweet <\/p>\n Land grab<\/p>\n The North Florida Land Trust (NFLT<\/a>) is at the center of yet another land conservation deal that will protect hundreds of acres of environmentally sensitive property.<\/p>\n A total of 860.55 acres of land will now be protected in Bradford County thanks to the agreement the NFLT brokered. The tract will also fall within the Ocala-to-Osceola Wildlife Corridor (O2O<\/a>) and the Camp Blanding Army Compatible Use Buffer Zone<\/a>. The O2O now encompasses about 1.6 million acres of protected private and public land running from the Osceola National Forest south into Central Florida.<\/p>\n The property cost $5.42 million to acquire. NFLT officials say it was funded by the U.S. Army National Guard and the Department of Defense\u2019s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program<\/a>. The Florida Defense Support Commission<\/a> also provided financial support.<\/p>\n The stretch of land was owned by Rayonier Forest Resources and used for timber harvesting. The property is adjacent to the NFLT\u2019s Triangle Preserve and Suwannee River Management, Santa Fe Swamp Conservation Area.<\/p>\n The land newly designated as conservation property will support wildlife protection, water quality and climate resilience in Northeast Florida.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a significant property for connectivity within the O2O, and strengthens the regional conservation network,\u201d said Allison DeFoor, president and CEO of NFLT.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re excited about what this means for wildlife, water resources, and the long-term protection of Camp Blanding\u2019s mission. Camp Blanding has been an outstanding conservation partner, helping ensure these lands remain protected in their natural state forever. The time to protect Florida\u2019s natural lands is now.\u201d<\/p>\n Hero homes<\/p>\n Jacksonville\u2019s Westside is getting new affordable housing with a mission attached: helping veterans, active-duty military families and working residents find a place they can afford.<\/p>\n Housing Trust Group has broken ground on Normandy Cove, a 144-unit income-restricted community at 7375 Sheldon Drive. Half the apartments will be dedicated to active-duty service members and veterans, with 5% reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness. Rents are expected to range from about $470 to $1,716 for residents earning 30%, 60% or 70% of the area median income.<\/p>\n The project includes local partnerships with Hope4Veterans and Sulzbacher, which will help connect residents with employment assistance, fiscal management, homeownership opportunities and veteran-focused support services. In other words, not just keys and a lease.<\/p>\n The financing stack is sizable: low-income housing tax credit equity, loans from TD Bank and Berkadia, state housing funds, city gap funding and support from the Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority.<\/p>\n Normandy Cove also includes one-, two- and three-bedroom units, a pool, fitness center, clubhouse and meeting space for veteran service providers. A second phase could add 99 more units, bringing the total planned community to 243 homes.<\/p>\n Giving berth<\/p>\n Jacksonville\u2019s Blount Island port terminal is nearing completion of a much larger transportation facility for importing and exporting vehicles.<\/p>\n JAXPORT<\/a> announced this week that construction has reached the halfway mark on the Blount Island Marine Terminal<\/a>, designed to increase the capacity of vehicle cargo ships coming to the First Coast. The project is expected to be completed in early 2027.<\/p>\n \u201cAs one of the nation\u2019s leading vehicle-handling ports, it\u2019s important that we continue investing in the infrastructure needed to support future demand,\u201d said JAXPORT CEO Eric Green. \u201cJacksonville\u2019s strategic location and transportation network position us well to serve rising demand for vehicle imports and exports across Florida and the broader Southeast U.S. region.\u201d<\/p>\n The expansion at Berth 21 is designed to increase the facility\u2019s capacity on Heckscher Drive and will add a third berth. The construction of the new berth is costing $60 million, with 75% of the funding coming from the Florida Department of Transportatio<\/a>n<\/a> and a 25% match from JAXPORT.<\/p>\n The new berth will allow larger ships carrying vehicles to arrive at the facility. Berth 22 at the facility already manages vessels up to 750 feet in length.<\/p>\n Crossroad crashing<\/p>\n Jacksonville drivers keep making the wrong choices at the right-of-way.<\/p>\n A new study by Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers<\/a> examined accident data over a decade and found that the First Coast metropolitan area ranked fifth in the U.S.<\/a> among 100 cities analyzed for intersection crashes.<\/p>\n Analysts from the law firm looked at crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation<\/a> and the U.S. Census Bureau<\/a> to compile its list. They analyzed intersection wrecks between 2014 and 2023 to order the list by the number of wrecks per 100,000 people.<\/p>\n Jacksonville recorded 414 intersection accidents during that period, for a per-capita rate of 2.4 crashes per 100,000 people. That accounts for an average of 41.4 wrecks annually.<\/p>\n Jacksonville was outpaced by Albuquerque, New Mexico, which topped the list with 4.1 accidents per 100,000 people. Tucson, Arizona, was No. 2, followed by Memphis, Tennessee, at No. 3 and Colorado Springs, Colorado, at No. 4.<\/p>\n \u201cJacksonville produces more raw crashes than three of the four cities ranked above it nationally, trailing only Memphis by 14 collisions across the full decade,\u201d the study found.<\/p>\n The study also said Jacksonville\u2019s high rank is due to the city\u2019s failure to address dangerous intersections with improvements.<\/p>\n \u201cIts 2.40 rate is not a statistical quirk; it is what a decade of deferred road safety investment looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n But the comparisons to other Florida cities really set Jacksonville apart.<\/p>\n \u201cNo other city comes close,\u201d the study concluded. \u201cJacksonville\u2019s per capita rate is more than five times higher than Orlando\u2019s (0.44 crashes per 100,000) and nearly four times higher than Miami\u2019s (0.46 wrecks per 100,000).\u201d<\/p>\n Salutin\u2019 spouses<\/p>\n The spouses of military veterans in Jacksonville will get their own special night out on Thursday.<\/p>\n The city\u2019s Military Affairs and Veterans Department<\/a>, along with sponsor VyStar Credit Union, is hosting the Ninth Annual Military Spouses Night Out<\/a> from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The celebration of military spouses is not only going big time on the level of an arena, but it\u2019s also free.<\/p>\n Military Spouses Night Out is designed to honor spouses of active-duty service members and retirees. The event is a tip of the hat to spouses who support and make sacrifices as their significant others serve their country.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>U.S. Rep. Aaron Bean lands firefighter endorsements in Clay and Nassau counties. Image via Jacksonville Today.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Randy Fine and Rick Scott are hosting a hurricane preparedness tele-town hall.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Jennifer Johnson-Carroll is nominated for U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Terrance Freeman is leaving his at-large City Council seat during a House bid. Image via campaign.<\/p>\n<\/a>Donna Deegan draws bipartisan backing for an early 2027 re-election fundraiser. Image via Jacksonville Today.<\/p>\n<\/a>Nick Howland prepares to lead the Jacksonville City Council in July.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Bradford County timberland will become conservation property. Image via North Florida Land Trust.<\/p>\n<\/a>Normandy Cove will bring income-restricted housing to Jacksonville\u2019s Westside.<\/p>\n<\/a>JAXPORT\u2019s Blount Island expansion is halfway complete, with a new berth expected in early 2027.<\/p>\n<\/a>Jacksonville ranks fifth nationally for intersection crashes in a new decade-long study.<\/p>\n