Republican Dean Black is seeking re-election in Florida House District 15, which covers North and West Jacksonville. He will face Democrat Gary McManus.
Because there is only one candidate from each party in the district, the race only appears on the general election ballot in November.
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News4Jax sent a questionnaire to each candidate asking about their background and their views on several issues. Scroll down to read the responses of those seeking your vote -- in their own words.
Note: Responses are sorted alphabetically by party and are presented exactly as submitted, with no editing by News4Jax staff.
| DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE |
Gary McManus
Occupation: Realtor
Age: 59
Family: Spouse: Janet McManus
Children: James McManus, Ian McManus, Amelia McManus, Shibrabata Mukherjee, Nik Sylvan, Rose Sylvan, Kirsten Duff
Grandson: Zion McManus
Education: BS in Business Administration
Political experience: Poll Worker
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Safeguarding Democracy/ Voter Rights - ending voter suppression efforts by Republicans and ensuring that every vote is counted and every voice is heard.
Restoring the Middle Class/ Living Wage - support unions, attract good paying jobs, support education.
Affordable Housing - restrict corporate ownership of single family homes, provide incentives to first time home buyers and front line workers, increase the supply multi-unit rental properties.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
I spent over 25 years in executive sales for companies like AT&T, GE, and IBM. I know how to build solutions, advance multi-million dollar projects, overcome obstacles, and close them. I have negotiated win/win deals with people who had very different priorities and agendas from my own. That is a skill that is desperately needed in these divisive times.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would like to be remembered as a principled, hard-working advocate for all of my constituents in HD15, Republican and Democrat alike. I’d like to bring opportunity, prosperity, and security to HD15 while protecting it’s considerable natural resources.
Campaign website: www.garymcmanus.com
Campaign social media: Facebook
Dean Black
Occupation: Small businessman and cattle rancher
Age: 58
Family: Married to wife Kim Black with 5 children and two grandchildren.
Education: Bachelor of Arts Political Science, Minor in English
University of Mississippi.
Political experience: Congressional candidate 2010
Vice Chairman, Republican Party of Duval County, 2018 to 2019
Chairman, Republican Party of Duval County, 2019 to present
State Representative, Florida House of Representative 2022 to present
Current candidate for Duval County State Committeeman to the Republican Party of Florida
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
1. The number one issue for Floridians is the cost of insurance . We must continue our work to bring more insurance companies to Florida. This will create competition and reduce premiums over time. As we continue our work to reduce insurance costs for Floridians, we must ensure that insurance companies deal with the public fairly and transparently.
2. Public safety . We must support our police, fire fighters, and other first responders.
They protect us and we must support them.
3. We must keep taxes low. Running an efficient and lean state government with a balanced budget reduces cost to Floridians and directly affects their pocketbook.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
As a small businessman and veteran, I know how important customer service is. I’m proud that our office is known for high quality constituent services. If a resident in our district has a problem, I encourage them to reach out to our office. We are ready to serve you.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
I would like to be remembered as a representative who was known for listening to our citizens, and then decisively acting to solve their problems no matter the size.
Campaign website: votedeanblack.com