by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Lad Daniels and Charles McBurney were looking at 18 months of raising money, shaking hands and seeking votes to replace State Rep. Mark Mahon. With the swoop of a pen last week, Gov. Charlie Crist turned the race into a likely six-week sprint and that seems to suit both candidates just fine.
“It’s a 100-yard dash now,” said Daniels, who just left City Council after eight years. “It’s about like the British system. I think in this case it’s kind of good. The only discouraging thing is the time of year.”
Mahon was appointed to serve as Circuit Court Judge in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, replacing the retired A.C. Soud. That appointment created the need for a special election and shortened the campaign dramatically.
“I think it’s terrific for a number of reasons,” said McBurney, who is a business law attorney with an office in the Bank of America Tower. “We will be forced to focus solely on the election. We will have to put our resources and energy on this one race. I’m real excited.”
Both Daniels and McBurney said they have heard the primary is Aug. 7 while the general election — if one’s needed — is Aug. 20. Department of State spokesperson Judy Spann said a date hasn’t been set “but should be soon.”
Daniels, president of the First Coast Manufacturing Association, is coming off eight years on City Council, during one of which he was Council president. He says both he and McBurney are well-known in the district that is about 75 percent Southside and 25 percent Westside. Dist. 16 includes Riverside, Avondale and Murray Hill on the Westside and San Marco, San Jose, the Avenues and the area around the St. Johns Town Center on the Southside.
“I think you campaign hard,” said Daniels, who will report a little over $150,000 in his campaign account when reports are due July 10. “You run like you are 10-20 points behind.”
McBurney believes the voters will still have a good idea about the candidates despite the compressed campaign. While he’s been campaigning a lot the past six weeks or so, McBurney said it now becomes a full-time job and likened it to having a single big case that requires his undivided attention.
“I don’t think that makes a difference,” said McBurney about having six weeks to get his name and platform out as opposed to well over a year. “I’ll be contacting the individual voter, telling them who we are and what we are about.”
McBurney said he began campaigning in earnest several weeks ago when Mahon became one of three finalists for Soud’s seat on the bench.
“We sort of knew Mark would get that appointment. There’s no guarantee, of course, but the rumor was he was going to get it and we prepared as if he would,” said McBurney. “It’s kind of advantageous on a personal level because I can set aside my time as if I was involved in a big case. I have good folks working for me.”
Daniels hopes the election is Aug. 7 because he has plans for later that week.
“I’m excited the race is starting because we can get it over with quickly,” he said. “Carol (his wife) and I have ‘Camp Grandma and Camp Grandpa’ starting Aug. 11.”