by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Throughout the mayor’s race, John Peyton touted the fact he had more endorsements than any of the other candidates and, financially, he’d do whatever it took to win.
Both factors weighed heavily as Peyton cruised to victory over Sheriff Nat Glover to become Jacksonville’s sixth mayor since Consolidation.
In an election that was only close for about the first 20 minutes of tabulating, Peyton got 133,497 votes or 58 percent. Glover, who conceded the race after calling Peyton personally shortly after 9 p.m., got 96,603 votes or 42 percent.
After a race that turned bitter the last couple of weeks with testy exchanges during debates and plenty of negative advertising, both candidates vowed to work together in the future. Peyton promised to unite the city that was on the verge of a racial split and Glover assured Peyton he’d be readily available to serve in any capacity.
The Peyton victory also helped the Republicans put a stranglehold on City Hall, with four Republicans winning seats on Council. Incumbents Lad Daniels and Faye Rustin — both members of the GOP — retained their Council positions. Rustin won the At-large Group 1 run-off over Ronald Higginbotham with 57 percent of the vote. Daniels, head of the First Coast Manufacturers Association, found himself in a battle with newcomer Cathy Chadeayne-Goldman, eventually winning with 54 percent. Michael Corrigan hammered Cebil Riley (72 percent) to become the new Dist. 14 representative. And, in the closest race of the day, Art Shad edged Jay Jabour by 102 votes.
The Democrats did retain one seat as Mia Jones (57 percent) beat Reginald Brown in the Dist. 10 race. Jones replaces Democrat King Holzendorf, who stepped down due to term limits.
In the property appraisers race, Republican Jim Overton — a Council term limit victim from Dist. 14 — thumped William King with 60 percent of the vote.
The results leave a Republican in the mayor’s office for at least another four years and increases the number of Republicans on Council from 12 to 13.
Over the next several weeks, Peyton will work with Mayor John Delaney and his staff on the transition from administration to the other. With dozens of appointed positions to consider, Peyton will have his hands full interviewing current mayoral staff, department heads and division chiefs. Each appointee must submit their resignation, which Peyton may or may not accept.
Peyton officially takes over July 1.