Who becomes the next mayor?

[thelakelander]

I got this email hack peice this morning from campaign@lennycurryformayor.com.

In the event, something like this did happen, who would become the mayor? Whoever is the council president in 2016?

DEMOCRAT ALVIN BROWN DREAMING
OF HIS NEXT CLINTON DC JOB?

Democrat Alvin Brown, a liberal appointee to Bill Clinton's White House, might think he's one step closer to his next job with yesterday's announcement from Hillary Clinton of her run for President.

Last November, the Times-Union reported that a top Clinton advisor, James Carville, had come to Jacksonville to let us know that "I wouldn't be surprised if he [Brown] would be a top choice for a senior Cabinet seat."

The report also described both Carville and Brown's history with the Clintons:

"Carville was one of President Clinton's top strategists in his campaign for president. In the 1990s, Brown served as an aide to Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown."

"'They [the Clintons] think the world of him,' Carville said about Brown."

Of course this is not the only connection Alvin Brown has to liberal Democrats in Florida and Washington DC. In 2012, Brown was a delegate to the DNC Convention where he cast a vote and endorsed President Obama's reelection.

In 2008, Alvin Brown gave the maximum contribution to fellow Democrat Alex Sink as she faced Governor Rick Scott. And, just a few months ago, Alvin Brown refused to answer if he voted for fellow Democrat Charlie Crist in the 2014 election.

[Kay]

Greg Anderson is expected to become President of the Council.  He is Vice right now.

[Steve]

Yes. In Jacksonville there is no Deputy Mayor, so it would be Council President, Council Vice President, Chair of the Rules Committee, Chair of the Finance Committee, and then if after that they still can't fill it (would be pretty extraordinary), the Council "picks" a Mayor by vote.

BTW, that would make the current succession after Alvin Brown be Clay Yarborough, Greg Anderson, Bill Gulliford, and Richard Clark.

[JeffreyS]

Would the replacement finish the term or would there be a special election at some point?

[Steve]

Would the replacement finish the term or would there be a special election at some point?

Special election

[Tacachale]

Kind of lame, but the question is worth asking considering that Hillary is thought to be a top contender for President, and Brown has been spoken of as a potential cabinet pick if she won. If it went down, we be looking at whoever is council president when she called him up. It would be whoever succeeds Greg Anderson, who will presumably take over this summer as he's the current vice.

And yes, then there would be a special election to finish out the term, most likely, depending on the timing. The last time we had a mayor step down was in 1978, when Hans Tanzler stepped down to run for governor. Jake Godbold was Council President and was appointed to succeed him; there wasn't a special election as there was only 6 months left of the term.

[CityLife]

I'm not sure linking your opponent to a prestigious national position and highlighting that a former President and possible future President "think the world of him" is a sound campaign strategy from Curry's camp. Sure there is a chance he ends up leaving, but he gains a higher level of legitimacy from those links...and its not like this is a McCain/Palin situation, where there is a genuine fear of who the replacement candidate would be.

[tufsu1]

Kind of lame, but the question is worth asking

Really?

The same could be said for Lenny Curry.  What if Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio was President.  Would they look to Republican insiders from Florida to fill slots on their team?

[TheCat]

CityLife, agreed.

An amusing approach by the Curry Campaign. Seems like they want the undecided voters to cast for Brown.

[Tacachale]

Kind of lame, but the question is worth asking

Really?

The same could be said for Lenny Curry.  What if Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio was President.  Would they look to Republican insiders from Florida to fill slots on their team?

Yes, really. Curry hasn't been mentioned along those lines, while Alvin has. Additionally, Curry would still be a first year mayor. Alvin would be a second term mayor who'd won two elections. He'd be a prime pick for Hillary, assuming she hasn't payed any attention to how he's run the city.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

... assuming she hasn't payed any attention to how he's run the city.

Since when has actual substance meant anything in politiks? 

The national economy as a whole is better than it was when he took office, ergo Alvin Brown single-handedly fixed the stale economy in Jacksonville through his leadership.

[ben america]

Same could be said if MAB decided to run for Governor In 2018.

[Tacachale]

... assuming she hasn't payed any attention to how he's run the city.

Since when has actual substance meant anything in politiks? 

The national economy as a whole is better than it was when he took office, ergo Alvin Brown single-handedly fixed the stale economy in Jacksonville through his leadership.

Plus he's done an awesome job single-handedly inventing the Jazz Festival and One Spark.

[Non-RedNeck Westsider]

... assuming she hasn't payed any attention to how he's run the city.

Since when has actual substance meant anything in politiks? 

The national economy as a whole is better than it was when he took office, ergo Alvin Brown single-handedly fixed the stale economy in Jacksonville through his leadership.

Plus he's done an awesome job single-handedly inventing the Jazz Festival and One Spark.

I wonder why there were no One Spark Festival thingys during the previous 35 years?

Hahahahahaha....  Using that logic, Mayor Alvin Brown Presents:  The Jacksonville Armada FC

[fieldafm]

... assuming she hasn't payed any attention to how he's run the city.

Since when has actual substance meant anything in politiks? 

The national economy as a whole is better than it was when he took office, ergo Alvin Brown single-handedly fixed the stale economy in Jacksonville through his leadership.

Plus he's done an awesome job single-handedly inventing the Jazz Festival and One Spark.

I wonder why there were no One Spark Festival thingys during the previous 35 years?

Because a guy named Peter Rummel never offered $1mm to a few scrappy, young entrepenuers to put one on. There have been privately-financed festivals (both large and small) that have gone on in Jacksonville before both you and I were born.

If Mayor Brown invented One Spark, as you so laughably claim, then why are its financiers/board members (people like Rummel, Munz, etc) voting for the other guy?