by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
As if there weren’t enough declared and rumored candidates for mayor already, City Council president Jerry Holland is thinking about getting into the fray.
“I’m exploring it,” said Holland, who was in Dallas Monday, looking at that city’s multi-modal transportation hub.
Holland is a relative newcomer to Jacksonville politics. He was elected to Council in 1999 and upset Council member Suzanne Jenkins to become Council president last July. The District 3 Council member said eventually running for mayor has been something he’s thought about since getting elected to public office in 1999, but only lately has he thought about running for mayor in an already crowded field.
“People have been asking me if I would consider it,” he said. “I’m going to check it out, do some polling and make a decision.”
Holland said his decision will come in about two or three weeks and he will employ an out-of-town polling service. Depending on the results of that poll, Holland may become the race’s eighth member, joining Council members Matt Carlucci and Ginger Soud, Gate Petroleum executive John Peyton, former Jacksonville Economic Development Commission executive director Mike Weinstein, former mayor Tommy Hazouri, businessman Steve Irvine and Keith Meyers, who’s retired. Sheriff Nat Glover and General Counsel Rick Mullaney are also considering a run at the office.
Holland is currently running for reelection to Council from his district. Currently, he has opposition only from Scott Shine and has raised $50,450 towards his Council reelection as of the end of the third quarter of last year. (End of the year numbers are due in the Supervisor of Elections Office by Friday.)
Elections laws allow candidates to transfer those contributions from one race to another, but the candidate must — in writing — inform every person that has contributed of their intention and essentially ask permission to transfer the contribution from one race to the other. Holland indicated that if he chooses to run for mayor, he will ask his contributors if he can transfer the funds. Anyone who does not support Holland running for mayor can ask for their money back.
Holland said he isn’t leaning one way or the other right now and will put a lot of stock in the results of the poll. However, he is getting some support in the form of e-mails that are starting to trickle into his Council office.
“Right now, I’m totally neutral. I’m 50-50. I’ve gotten a handful of e-mails so far and the support has been from all over, not just my district,” said Holland, adding he’s been considering the idea for a while. “I think you always think about how you can serve and in a greater capacity. The desire has always been there. Other candidates have asked, ‘Do you have the potential to win?’ I think I can win my Council seat, but the question is: Can I win a countywide election?”
Holland said if he doesn’t run this year, seeking the mayor’s office in 2007 isn’t out of the question, but will hinge on many things.
“We’ll see where we are at and how the next mayor is doing,” said Holland. “If there’s enough interest, I’ll certainly look into it.”