Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, over the weekend to publicly express his support for Republican mayoral candidate Daniel Davis ahead of his face-off against Democrat Donna Deegan in Tuesday’s election.
Scott participated in a video, flanked by Davis and other Jacksonville candidates, urging Republicans to get out and vote.
“If you want good government, if you want better schools, if you want lower crime, vote for Daniel Davis and all these wonderful Republicans; get out and vote today,” he said in the video posted Sunday, marking the last day of early voting.
The runoff between the two candidates comes as crime surfaces as a particularly important issue in the race. The Republican Party of Duval County, as well as Davis, have highlighted Deegan’s “soft on crime” approach.
“’Defund Donna’ is soft on crime, wants higher taxes and is wholly unprepared to handle the city’s $1.5 billion budget. Jacksonville needs a real Mayor – not a media activist like Deegan who pretends to be one on TV,” the Duval County GOP said in March:
A GOP-funded ad also highlighted Deegan’s position, showcasing her previous support of the Black Lives Matter movement. She, however, claims she is “pro-police” while dismissing the ad as both “divisive” and “racially insensitive.”
Notably, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters supports Republican candidate Daniel Davis, telling News4Jax that it is “important to remember the difference between a peaceful march and the violent protests we witnessed throughout the streets of Jacksonville.”
“These riots pose a serious threat not only to our officers, but also our citizens,” he said, explaining his decision to support Davis.
“My decision to support a law and order candidate like Daniel Davis stems from his commitment to giving officers the resources they need to fight crime, not defunding them,” he added.
An April survey from the University of North Florida (UNF) Public Opinion Research Lab found a single percentage point separating the two candidates — 48 percent said they would vote for Deegan, while 47 percent said the same of Davis.
Election Day is Tuesday, and according to the latest data, Democrats hold a 5,837 voter advantage thus far:
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