Joe Biden is the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Duval County since Jimmy Carter in 1976, but the former vice president’s success didn’t translate down the ballot.
Dozens of people showed up at a drive-in Democratic watch party in a Northside strip mall on election night - an event with everything from a DJ to food trucks. But other than Biden winning Duval by close to 4 points, there wasn’t much to celebrate.
Related: Returns, Local, State And National Election News
Former TV news anchor and breast cancer research advocate Donna Deegan’s strong fundraising wasn’t enough to unseat incumbent Republican Congressman John Rutherford in Northeast Florida’s District 4.
Republican State Representatives Cord Byrd, Clay Yaraborough, Wyman Duggan and Jason Fischer all handily beat their Democratic challengers.
Democrat Nicole Hamm lost to Republican Kevin Carrico by about seven points in the race for City council District 4.
And Democrat Jimmy Midyette narrowly lost to Republican Jody Phillips in the contentious race for Duval Court Clerk.
Local Democrats’ only other victory was Congressman Al Lawson’s reelection, and much of his heavily Democratic district includes Tallahassee.
Brendan Rivers can be reached at brivers@wjct.org, 904-358-6396 or on Twitter at @BrendanRivers.
