Democrat Donna Deegan wins Jacksonville mayor's race in major upset - CBS News
By: CBSPolitics
Updated on: May 17, 2023 / 1:55 AM / CBS/AP
Voters in Jacksonville, Florida, on Tuesday elected Democrat Donna Deegan as the first female mayor in the city's history. In a shocking upset, Deegan also became the first Democrat to win a Jacksonville mayor's race in more than 30 years.
Deegan earned 52% of the vote, beating Republican Daniel Davis, according to unofficial results. About 217,000 people voted in the race, for a turnout of 33%.
"Love won tonight, and we made history," Deegan said in a statement. "We have a new day in Jacksonville because people chose unity over division — creating a broad coalition of people across the political spectrum that want a unified city."
Love won tonight, and we made history. We have a new day in Jacksonville because people chose unity over division—creating a broad coalition of people across the political spectrum that want a unified city. Together, we will bring change for good to Jacksonville by making good on… pic.twitter.com/ZmV5pmV4gd — Donna Deegan (@DonnaDeegan) May 17, 2023
Davis conceded in a speech to supporters Tuesday night.
The last Democrat to win the Jacksonville mayor's race was Ed Austin in 1991.
Davis had been endorsed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and had outraised Deegan by a four-to-one-margin during his campaign.
Deegan said she planned to focus on upgrading infrastructure, building an economy that works for everyone and improving access to healthcare. She is replacing Republican Lenny Curry, who was first elected in 2015 and couldn't run again due to term limits.
Jacksonville is Florida's most populous city, with about 950,000 residents.
Trolling, taunting, spamming, and off-topic comments may be removed at the discretion of group mods. NT members that vote up their own comments, repeat comments or continue to disrupt the conversation risk having all of their comments deleted. Please remember to quote the person(s) to whom you are replying to preserve the continuity of this seed. Any use of the phrase "Trump Derangement Syndrome" or the TDS acronym in a comment will be deleted.
This is definitely a major upset win.
the writing is there on the wall for christo-fascism...
Hopefully, devan.
She beat a DeSantis supported candidate too. Maybe Floridians are beginning to tire of his dictatorship.
The crazier the populists like DeSantis get in the run up to the next election the more voters they lose. I don't understand why they continue to do it, but hey maybe that Red Wave is right around the corner?
... more like a red flush. it will be interesting to see how wussolini retaliates...
menstrual spotting . . .
We are starting to see backlash on some of the bills he is signing into law. The six week abortion being one.
I was just reading that Patricia McCullough lost the Pennslvaina primary for PA Supreme Court Judge. She was the appeals court judge who tried to halt the state's 2020 election certification. So yes, it's another note that populism isn't all that popular.
I saw this morning that a democrat won the mayorship in Colorado Springs which had been held by Republicans for decades.
Any day now.............................................................................................................................................
indeed. the army, air force, and space force are located there and it's considered the religious part of the state. the focus on the family scumbag scammers are headquartered there too.
How many of the military there vote on local elections versus their states of record?
if they're republicans, who cares...
[✘]
Article I saw listed him as independent or non-political. But, one way or another, a step in the right direction.
any republican loss in a once solid republican stronghold works for me...
I was reading about the win this morning. Something about Jacksonville had been the largest city run by a Republican until this loss?
That is correct, EG and it is the largest city in Florida.
You being in FL... How does this look for DeSantis? I see that his back candidate in Kentucky lost to Trump's and some moms filed to sue to overturn school and library book banning.
Some of the bills he is signing into law are starting to face a backlash. The Six weeks abortion bill is not being well received and it cannot be implemented until the State Supreme Court decides on another case involving a ''right to privacy'' that is the law in Florida.
I think DeSantis blew his wad too early and by this time next year he will mostly be a joke used by his detractors on the campaign trail. Provided that he does announce his run next week as planned that is.
We have a law in Florida that if you run for another office you must resign from the governorship. To help DeSantis out on this the Florida legislature repealed the law.
I believe that the Disney thing is going to really hurt him. Disney has amended their lawsuit twice to add more to it. Iger isn't backing down and has really gone on the offense.
The Florida legislature is part of the DeSantis presidential campaign.
Without a doubt, G.
I find it comical that disney corporate attorneys will be facing down the "mickey mouse" state lawyers wussolini has available to him...
Exactly, an international corporate legal team against a state legal team.
all licensed to practice law in florida I would assume. your point being what, exactly...
Duh.
That big, international corporation can easily assemble legal teams that are more experienced than a state team.
duh.
Largest city by area, not population.
Yes, it is the largest by area and also the largest by population.
meh, you know not to believe "every single conservative comment".
I actually live in Jacksonville, not 2 hours south in Ocala, and this is actually not a big deal. It is just the pendulum swinging the other way as it has done for some time now.
Lenny Curry was the mayor for 8 years, and before him, Alvin Brown, a democrat, was mayor for 4 years.Mayors do have a say in the city operation, obviously, but it's the city council that has the biggest say.
Right now, after this past election, republicans outnumber democrats 14-5 on the city council. Hardly a "the tide is turning " moment.
Donna Deegan biggest advantage was her name recognition, as she was a local news anchor for years in the 80s to about 2012s and she sponsors a very successful marathon for breast cancer every spring. She was also known for a scandal in which while she was a news anchor, she was married to the sports director at the same station. She had an affair with a new weather guy, who just recently retired as the head meteorologist at the same station. After Dan Hicken divorced her, she married her current husband,the weatherman, Tim Deegan.
Daniel Davis was not that well known.
Pretty good chance the pendulum will swing the other way again sooner than later.
Considering the political support (DeSantis and the Republican party) and money spent it certainly does register as a big upset.
It is my understanding that Jville utilizes the strong mayor form of government and has significant powers compared to the City Council and the mayor holds veto power over all resolutions and ordinances passed by the city council.
That sounds like a good thing and would make her well-known and popular.
It doesn't seem that that hurt her in the election.
He was a member of the Florida State House of Representatives for four years other than that don't know much more about him.
Without a doubt that is true, it always has and always will.
I thought trumpsters were okay with whatever happens in people's private sex lives, +/- 1500 days of when they get elected...
ICYMI people don't care about that stuff anymore
And do you live 2 hours south of Jax in Ocala? Your first sentence is muddled
Can DeSantis declare this result void because of fraud? Isn't that what Republican leaders do, nowadays?
LOL, I think that right now DeSantis has bigger worries than this, namely a Mouse that is kicking his ass.
wussolini is living that sorcerers apprentice scene from fantasia...
I love that movie...you have to watch it stoned
heh, before you were even enlightened. it's the 3D shit on mushrooms that will send you screaming towards the exit, like andy warhol's dracula, when the bats fly out of the screen.
a cartoon mouse no less...
one is a sausage that shrinks when it feels the heat, the other is a cartoon.