JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The first attack ad in the runoff election for mayor has been fired and it’s targeted at Democratic candidate Donna Deegan.
“I went to every one of those Black Lives Matter Protests,” said Deegan in a clip highlighted in the new ad put out by the Republican Party of Duval County.
The ad attempts to paint Democratic mayoral candidate Donna Deegan as soft on crime.
“Donna Deegan She’s not on your side,” said the narrator at the close of the ad.
Deegan told Action News Jax she’s not surprised to see Republicans turn up the heat, but she said the suggestion in the ad is absurd.
“I think that it is just more of the same unimaginative, divisive politics that we’ve seen and people have so far shown they don’t like that,” said Deegan.
Deegan also pointed out, the current mayor and previous sheriff, both Republicans, also participated in racial justice marches in 2020.
“You know, the mayor and the Jaguars and if you recall, this was a pivotal moment and a painful moment for our Black community,” said Deegan.
But Deegan’s Republican opponent Daniel Davis told Action News Jax he stands by the sentiment of the ad.
“You can’t speak out of both sides of your mouth. Either you’re standing with Sheriff TK Waters and the men and women in Blue who put their lives on the line for us every day or you’re standing with radical groups that want to defund the police,” said Davis.
UNF political scientist Dr. Michael Binder said he’s not surprised to see the race turn negative, as the GOP primary became a war of attack ads between Davis and his two top rivals.
But Binder noted with Deegan vowing not to engage in mudslinging, the Republican attack strategy could backfire.
“Do you potentially mobilize people on the left? Maybe the Black community, which didn’t turn out in big numbers in March,” said Binder.
You’ll be able to hear both candidates lay out their platforms on a wide array of issues before the May runoff.
Catch the mayoral debate right here on Action News Jax at 7 p.m. on April 20th.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.