Is Donna Deegan eyeing a mayoral run?
Donna Deegan became the subject of speculation Wednesday about a possible mayoral run after tweets by Times-Union columnist Nate Monroe and WJCT radio host Melissa Ross. Two of the citys prominent media personalities  Florida Times-Union columnist Nate Monroe and talk radio host Melissa Ross  seem to think so. Folks, we might have a race, Monroe speculated Wednesday in a tweet accompanied by a screenshot of a filing of a political committee called Donna For Duval.  A search of the Florida Division of Elections website shows that paperwork was filed July 1 to form the political committee, whose listed purpose offers no specifics. This has been the worst-kept secret in town, Ross, the host of First Coast Connect, said in response to Monroe, adding: Potential @DonnaDeegan run for mayor.  Ad  This has been the worst-kept secret in town. https://t.co/uMUL3pX5Pq  Melissa Ross (@MelissainJax) July 7, 2021  News4Jax reached out to Shelby Green, whos listed as chairperson and treasurer for the committee. Green deferred questions about a mayoral run to Deegan. Attempts on Wednesday to reach Deegan for comment werent immediately successful. Deegan, a breast cancer research advocate and former news anchor, ran for Congress as a Democrat in November. She lost her challenge to U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, a former Jacksonville sheriff. There will be no incumbent in the 2023 mayoral race as Mayor Lenny Curry will term out. Two members of the City Council, Matt Carlucci and Al Ferraro, have filed to run for the office. According to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections website, Carlucci has already raised more than $230,000 for his campaign, while Ferraros campaign has raised just shy of $44,000. A third name rumored as a potential mayoral candidate is Daniel Davis, president of JAX Chamber. His state-filed committee, formed in 2013, raised most of its nearly $2.7 million in 2021. Ad  The first election in the 2023 unitary election cycle will be held on March 21, 2023. In Jacksonvilles unitary elections, all candidates for an office appear on the same ballot. If no candidate wins a majority of the votes, the top two advance to the general election in May.