Faced with the possibility of electing the first African-American mayor in the history of the city or a far right, Tea Party backed Republican, Florida's largest GOP stronghold turns blue.

Holland: No way for Mike Hogan to catch Alvin Brown


Unless something that has never happened before happens, Alvin Brown is Jacksonville's next mayor.

Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland just said that Brown leads Republican Mike Hogan by 1,700 votes with fewer than 50 to be counted, making it "outside the realm" of a recount. That would mean Brown is the first Democrat to be elected mayor in the city in a generation and the first African-American mayor, ever.

http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/DuvalVotingPrecincts051911.gif

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-05-18/story/holland-no-way-mike-hogan-catch-alvin-brown#ixzz1MkKohRQC

Faced with the possibility of electing the first African-American mayor in the history of the city or a far right, Tea Party backed Republican, Florida's largest GOP stronghold turns blue.



http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/DuvalVotingPrecincts051911.gif

http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2011-05-18/story/holland-no-way-mike-hogan-catch-alvin-brown#ixzz1MkKohRQC

Kudos to Jacksonville for a splendid mayoral election! This is a great step for them and my heartiest congratulations!

What the..?!

I'm not gonna lie, I completely stopped paying attention to the race after Moran lost, just because I thought Brown was not capable of winning (and I really liked her). I just assumed Hogan was too strong and a shoe in for Jacksonville. This is fantastic though, great news for Jacksonville. Completely unexpected :okay:

This was by far the closest mayoral election in Jax history and I believe mayor-elect Alvin Brown had a few republican supporters to back him!! :nuts:

Let's get to work! :lol:

Even in this conservative city, the tea party stuff was just too far right. Thus, Independents, Democrats and thousands of Republicans finally said, enough is enough. The news is starting to go national. This could have national ramifications in the way Florida swings in 2012.

http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/story_slideshow_thumb/met_AlvinBrown051811_0.jpg

It became official last night, when the last 2,000 ballots, many of which were absentee, were counted. Alvin Brown had been elected the first African-American mayor in Jacksonville’s history.

He also is the first Democrat elected to lead the northern Florida city since 1991. Earlier, the race had been too close to call.

Brown, the former chairman of the National Black MBA Association, is currently the executive in residence at Jacksonville University's Davis College of Business.

After Brown’s GOP opponent conceded at 7 p.m., Brown said, “I am excited about the opportunity that we have to take Jacksonville to the next level, and I will work with people from every corner of this community to move Jacksonville forward. Now is the time to bring Jacksonville together and unite our city."

Brown, who will take office on July 1, had been considered a decided underdog. Jacksonville’s population is comprised of 464,000 whites, 245,000 Blacks and 54,000 Latinos of either race.

Political observers say Brown won by winning over Republican voters when he adopted some of the ideas of a GOP candidate in an earlier election. Brown also received support from a prominent Republican fundraiser.

Florida’s first Black sheriff, Nat Glover, ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Jacksonville eight years ago.

http://www.bet.com/news/politics/2011/05/19/jacksonville-florida-elects-its-first-black-mayor.html?ftcnt=HP_News

http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-05-18/story/alvin-brown-makes-history-citys-first-african-american-mayor

^^
Kudos to Jax! :D

So now we have Tampa & Jax electing Democrat mayors this year. :D

Maybe this is a forebearer of things to come for the 2012 election since Obama carried every major city in the state except Jacksonville. Congrats to Jax for electing it's first black mayor.

And Toronto just elected a right-wing mayor. So, Toronto is now a red city.

As for Toronto it's been more than 7 months....but no need to worry Dale, we know Jacksonville hasn't become some horrible godforsaken liberal haven. :smug:
It just rejected a Tea Party candidate and voted for a moderate guy.

As for Toronto it's been more than 7 months....but no need to worry Dale, we know Jacksonville hasn't become some horrible godforsaken liberal haven. :smug:
It just rejected a Tea Party candidate and voted for a moderate guy.

I hear (but can't confirm) that the Toronto city council has passed a resolution condemning Americans for electing a Kenyan-born president. :)

I hear (but can't confirm) that the Toronto city council has passed a resolution condemning Americans for electing a Kenyan-born president. :)

Are we on the birth certificate again? Anyway, having been born and raised in Jacksonville, this is very interesting news.

Are we on the birth certificate again? Anyway, having been born and raised in Jacksonville, this is very interesting news.

Yes, Toronto's back on it. It just elected a rightwing mayor so it's become a rightwing city.

^^
Joy...........:bash:

^^
Joy...........:bash:

Toronto = rightwing city

Jacksonville = leftwing city

You pick. :)

Not only did they elect a conservative mayor in October, three weeks ago Toronto also elected eight new Tory Members of Parliament, giving them their biggest majority in Toronto in over 60 years (29 of 44).

What's happening in Toronto is on a completely different scale than what just happened in Jacksonville. So again, don't worry Dale. You can still pass through town without worrying about some elitist liberal looking down on you.

Not only did they elect a conservative mayor in October, three weeks ago Toronto also elected eight new Tory Members of Parliament, giving them their biggest majority in Toronto in over 60 years (29 of 44).

What's happening in Toronto is on a completely different scale than what just happened in Jacksonville. So again, don't worry Dale. You can still pass through town without worrying about some elitist liberal looking down on you.

Also, the new Toronto mayor has a 70% approval rating. He even campaigned on a promise to rip up the streetcar tracks to provide more rooms for cars.

Meanwhile, I'll have to be careful not to say something like "God bless you!" next time in Jax. They'll haul me off to jail. :ohno: ;)

^^
Wow, that's brutal. Thank gosh I don't live in Toronto. Maybe the govt there will defund mass transit for the city much faster than Rick Scott can defund mass transit for the entire state. :lol: :nuts:

But trying to get this thread back on course. I am glad that Jax has Brown to lead the city through the next several years.

I hear (but can't confirm) that the Toronto city council has passed a resolution condemning Americans for electing a Kenyan-born president. :)

:ohno: Who is this Kenyan born president you're talking about? My president, President Obama, was born in the United States!

:ohno: Who is this Kenyan born president you're talking about? My president, President Obama, was born in the United States!

Lighten up, Francis. :l