by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
John Peyton has received the first major endorsement in the 2003 mayoral race. Former two-term mayor Jake Godbold has given Peyton his blessing, saying the Gate Petroleum executive’s business background will serve Jacksonville well should Peyton win next May’s general election.
“In a good candidate you have to have two things,” said Godbold. “One, a guy that can win and, two, a guy that can run it after he wins. Peyton can do both.
“He’s got a personality people can accept and he’s likable. He makes a good appearance not only in person, but on TV.”
Peyton said he’d been after the endorsement from Godbold — a Jacksonville political icon dating back to his City Council days of the 1970s — for several months. The persistence paid off and the political partnership will be officially announced next Thursday at a fish fry at Jackie’s Seafood on Trout River Drive.
“Clearly, it’s one of the most coveted endorsements in the mayor’s race,” said Peyton. “I’m grateful to have it and it will help demonstrate the campaign is about people.
“Jake is one of the most recognized and admired citizens of Jacksonville. He brings great energy and enthusiasm to the campaign.”
Peyton said Godbold’s long term and deep-rooted relationships all over town will help him garner the kind of support he needs, especially since he’s a newcomer to the Jacksonville political arena.
“Jake has a very large following and political organization that we hope to win over during the next several months,” said Peyton.
For Godbold, a lifelong Democrat, the decision to back a Republican political novice wasn’t easy.
“It was a tough decision for me to make because I’m a Democrat and have been all my life,” said Godbold, adding there are no covert reasons for the endorsement. “I’m not a consultant to him and this is not for money or anything else. I’ve got a big investment in this city and I truly love it. It’s important for the right mayor to be in there. The next mayor is not going to have a lot of money to work with; it’ll be the bottom of the barrel. It [the city] has to be run like a business. It’s important to have business experience and John truly has run the petroleum end of Gate for a long time.”
Peyton believes Godbold’s support will prove invaluable and agrees that the city will need someone with a solid business history the next four years.
“I’m delighted and grateful to have someone of Jake Godbold’s caliber supporting my race for mayor,” he said. “Jake recognizes the value of a business background for running the city.”