JAXBIZ, the nonpartisan political committee affiliated with the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, is endorsing two Democrats and one Republican in the May election for the Jacksonville City Council.
"This slate of business-friendly leaders will be excellent members of the City Council, along with those who were already elected by voters in March," JAXBIZ Chair Abel Harding.
In District 7, Democrat Jimmy Peluso is the JAXBIZ choice. A lobbyist for VyStar, he got more support than any other candidate in the March election in the district that stretches from Ortega to Springfield, securing 35% of the vote.
Peluso has raised nearly $173,000 through the campaign and has roughly $33,000 on hand at this writing. He is up against Republican Joseph Hogan in the runoff in the district that's drawn for a Democratic winner.
Hogan, a construction firm owner and son of Duval County Supervisor of Elections Mike Hogan, took second place with 32%. He has under $20,000 cash on hand, but he's raised less than $28,000 thus far.
Republican and certified public accountant Mike Muldoon got the endorsement in District 9. He led all candidates with 47% in the First Election in D9, a district with a Democratic registration advantage. He got the endorsement over incumbent Democratic City Council member Tyrona Clark-Murray, who mustered 15% in March, splitting the vote with other Democratic candidates.
Muldoon has raised more than $140,000 so far in the campaign, while Clark-Murray has raised just over $10,000. Interestingly, former District 9 Councilman Garrett Dennis, a Democrat, has crossed party lines to endorse Republican Muldoon.
In District 14, Democrat Rahman Johnson got 46% of the vote in March, and he earned the JAXBIZ nod over Republican John Draper, who got 30% last month. Johnson has raised nearly $22,000 during the campaign, and Draper has raised almost $10,000.
The General Election is May 16, and vote by mail has already begun in Duval County ahead of that date.
