Jay McGovern is running for the U.S. Congressional seat currently held by Republican Ander Crenshaw. Recently, Mr. McGovern was kind enough to answer a few questions for JaxDaily…

JaxDaily: Why did you decide to run for Congress this year?

Jay McGovern: As a 25-year Navy veteran and engineer, I have a different set of experiences that will help me create real solutions to so many of the challenges our country is facing. I’m disappointed in the results we’ve gotten from Washington and I know we can do better. Whether you look at our economy, energy policy, national debt, national security or the war – the results do not represent the best America has to offer. I will take North Florida values - hard work, community, and common sense back to Washington.

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State House District 17
> Gordon Morgan
> Lake Ray
> Mario Rubio

State House District 18
> Ronald “Doc” Renuart

City Council District 10
> Angela Nixon
> Joe Clements

City Council Group 2
> Bob Harms

School Board District 1
> James Moser

School Board District 7
> John Turner

Last year, we did our very first candidate interview with James Moser, a teacher seeking to fill the District 1 seat on the Duval County School Board. At the time we interviewed Mr. Moser he was the only candidate in the race. Since then, the field has grown to include State Representative Stan Jordan, along with Cathie Shimp and Ken Manuel. But Moser is still in it, and he is still out there campaigning hard despite what some see as long odds.

With the election just a few days away, and folks still trying to make up their minds about who to support, we once again present our interview with James Moser from October of 2007…

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JaxDaily: Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions, James. You’re seeking to represent School Board District 1, what areas and neighborhoods does that include?

Jim Moser: My area extends from University Blvd to Kernan Blvd. and up to Beach Blvd. The elementary schools include: Abess Park, Don Brewer, Fort Caroline, Lake Lucina, Lone Star, Merrill Rd., Parkwood Heights. The middle schools are: Arlington, Fort Caroline, Landmark. The high school is Terry Parker.

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Jim Moser: I believe I am qualified in a very unique way. I am currently a teacher and I believe I can see the real problems from the inside of the classroom and the school system. I believe I have the solutions to fix these problems.

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JaxDaily: In your opinion, what are the key challenges facing Duval County Schools?

Jim Moser: What we need to do is to get back to the basics — reading, writing, and Arithmetic. We are testing the students a little too much. I know a lot of the testing is mandated by Tallahassee but I believe some of it is coming from the local office. We also need to put trust back into the school system.

I believe the morale of the teachers are very low and teachers are a very vital part of what is really happening in this school system. LET’S ASK THE TEACHERS THEIR OPINIONS OF WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. We as a school system need to look up the definition of “team work.”

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Jim Moser: That is a tough question because he is my boss. Let’s just say the school system has room for improvement.

(Editor’s note: Superintendent Wise was fired by the School Board only a few days after this interview was conducted.)

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JaxDaily: How do you feel about the FCAT? Has it been good or bad for Florida’s children?

Jim Moser: I believe the FCAT is not good for our children as far as what they should really know after completing high school. The students in Florida are being tested way too much.

I say let’s abolish the FCAT and let’s get back to real teaching and learning. Let’s get the children prepared to lead a successful life.

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JaxDaily: It’s still very early, but you’ve already reported loaning your campaign $4,000 to get things started. How much money do you expect that you’ll need to raise by next Fall in order to win?

Jim Moser: I do not think money is the issue as far as how much will I need to win. The citizens of Jacksonville want to get the school system back on the right track. I hope they see me as what I really am and that is someone with ethics, honesty, and a passion to give Jacksonville the best education that we possibly can give to them. I want the Duval County Public School System to be the best in the country.

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JaxDaily: Have you received any endorsements from community leaders or local organizations?

Jim Moser: Not as of yet. It is still very early in my campaign.

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JaxDaily: Who are some historical figures that you draw inspiration from?

Jim Moser: Ronald Reagan is at the top of my list.

He loved being President and he loved his country. He had ethics, honesty, and I believe people trusted him. That is what we need in a true leader.

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JaxDaily: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time when you’re not teaching or campaigning?

Jim Moser: I enjoy taking trips. Last year I bought annual passes to the Disney Parks and took a trip to Orlando at least once a month. This past July I took a trip to Hawaii. I was stationed in Hawaii about 27 years ago and it was good to see the islands again.

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JaxDaily: One of your campaign photos shows you holding a cat… what’s her name?

Jim Moser: Her name is Millie and she is a persian. She is a vital member of my family.

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JaxDaily: Once again, thanks very much for talking with us. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Jim Moser: I would like to say when I am elected to represent District 1, I will not let the citizens of Jacksonville down. I will give 110% each and everyday.

Every decision I make will be based on what is best for the children.

Check out my campaign website and vote for James Moser on August 26, 2008!

JaxDaily: Our area is electing a lot of fresh faces to the legislature this year. What about your particular background and experience qualifies you to hit the ground running if you are sent to Tallahassee?

Lake Ray: It is important that we send people to Tallahassee who have experience in the process of legislating. As the only candidate who has already served our community in office I bring eight years of knowledge in how to get things done from my time on the Jacksonville City Council. During that time I not only worked on issues important to the district I represented, such as replacing the grating on the Mathews Bridge, securing funding to expand and improve Ed Austin Regional Park and voting to lower the millage rate on our homes (eight times), but I also worked with our representatives in Tallahassee on important regional issues that affect our every day lives.

For eight years I went to Tallahassee working to secure funding for our schools, roads and parks and building the relationships necessary to hit the ground running to the serve the community in the Legislature.

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JaxDaily: What is your opinion on the St. Johns River Water Management District’s proposal to drain water from the river to supply Central Florida’s growing needs? How can we protect the river while balancing the economic realities of our situation?

Lake Ray: I am 100% against any plan that seeks to take water from the St. Johns River and send it elsewhere.

Several years ago, there was a plan to draw water from the Floridan Aquifer and send that water to Central and South Florida. I led the fight on the City Council to stop this from happening and we prevailed. Now, for the same reasons, there are those south of us who want to mitigate the mistakes of their poor planning by taking our water from our river. We cannot let this happen and I will work tirelessly to stopping this ill conceived plan.

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JaxDaily: What, if anything, can the state do to help the City of Jacksonville solve the high violent crime rates that we’ve been experiencing?

Lake Ray: An educated community is one that has fewer incidents of violent crime. The state can help by putting more resources into classrooms so that children can learn and teachers can teach, all within a safe and secure environment.

We also need to make sure that our officers on the streets have the resources that they need to keep us safe. As a member of the Jacksonville City Council I voted over two hundred times in support of our law enforcement officers, giving them the tools that they requested to fight crime.

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JaxDaily: Who are of the groups and individuals that have endorsed your candidacy?

Lake Ray: North East Florida Association of Realtors, Florida Association of Realtors, Northeast Florida Builders Association, First Coast Manufacturers Association, AFL-CIO, Florida Medical Association, Duval Teachers United, Associate General Contractors, Utility Contractors’ Association, Associated Builders and Contractors.

Former Jacksonville Mayors, John Delaney and Jake Godbold; State Senator Steve Wise, State Representatives Jennifer Carroll and Charles McBurney; current members of the Jacksonville City Council, Bill Bishop, Michael Corrigan, Art Graham, Ray Holt, Kevin Hyde, Glorious Johnson, Steven Joost, Don Redman and Clay Yarborough; former Members of the Jacksonville City Council, Warren Alvarez, George Banks, Matt Carlucci, Lad Daniels, Sharon Copeland and Gwen Yates.

These groups and individuals all trust that I am prepared to do the job on day one.

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JaxDaily: It seems that a write-in candidate has filed to run in your race, essentially with the purpose of closing the Republican primary to only Republican voters. First off, does this help or hurt your campaign? And secondly, how do you feel about the loophole that allows write-ins to be used to selectively close party primaries?

Lake Ray: It really has no impact as the race was closed when a Democrat filed to run.

(Editoral note - when this question was asked, the Democrat candidate had been disqualified from appearing on the ballot. She has since been reinstated.)

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JaxDaily: On a more personal note, have you read any good books lately?

Lake Ray: Faith in God and Generals. A book about the faith of the Generals in the Civil War.

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JaxDaily: What’s your favorite place to grab a bite to eat?

Lake Ray: Home, with my family.

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JaxDaily: Who are some current or past leaders that you admire?

Lake Ray: Ronald Reagan, George Washington, Teddy Roosevelt and Winston Churchill.

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JaxDaily: What other kinds of things do you enjoy doing while you’re not campaigning?

Lake Ray: Mostly, spend time with family, friends and studying history.

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JaxDaily: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Lake Ray: During the course of this campaign I have met with thousands of people who live in the district. Learning from them, their hopes and dreams and what they want to see done in Tallahassee. From them I have learned that their top priorities are keeping our streets safe, energy independence, getting more resources into our schools and protecting our river. Those are my priorities and the things that I will fight for.

The job of representing our city in Tallahassee is an important one and in order to accomplish our goals, our next representative must be ready. I am the only candidate that has the experience and relationships necessary to be an effective legislator on day one.

Gordon Morgan recently retired as the Chief Assistant Clerk of the Duval County Circuit courts. He has decided to seek the Republican nomination to run for State House of Representatives in District 17, the seat currently held by Stan Jordan who is prevented from running for re-election due to term limits. Mr. Morgan recently took a few moments to answer some questions for JaxDaily…

JaxDaily: Our area is electing a lot of fresh faces to the legislature this year. What about your background and experience qualifies you to hit the ground running if you are sent to Tallahassee?

Gordon Morgan: Before retiring to run for the Florida House, I served as the Chief Assistant of the Duval County Clerk of Courts. I supervised 480 employees and a $20 million dollar budget.

The Clerk of Courts is a state office that requires interaction with a municipality so I am familiar with the kind of work that is necessary to maintain a positive relationship between Tallahassee and Jacksonville.

I am also glad to see new faces stepping up to lead. We have too many people trying to make a career on the backs of the hard working people of Florida.

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JaxDaily: What groups or individuals have endorsed your candidacy?

Gordon Morgan: I have been endorsed by the Retired City Employees of Jacksonville, The Ironworkers of Jacksonville, and the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters. I have also received the support of Jim Fuller, the Clerk of Courts for Duval County, and Henry Cook. I would also like to thank Mr. Tom Petway for encouraging me early in my campaign when I didn’t have any support.

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JaxDaily: What is your opinion on the St. Johns River Water Management District’s proposal to drain water from the river to supply Central Florida’s growing needs?

Gordon Morgan: For me, protecting the St. Johns isn’t just talk. I am a dues paying member of the St. Johns Riverkeeper and I believe the St. Johns is an absolute treasure the city should do everything in its power to protect.

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JaxDaily: What, if anything, can the state do to help the City of Jacksonville solve the high violent crime rates that we’ve been experiencing?

Gordon Morgan: I am old enough to remember a time when you could go to Regency Mall and not worry about being a victim of crime. I have been a victim of crime twice in my life. I was randomly shot in 1974 by the “Casanova Killer” Paul John Knowles and was dying before I had my life saved by firefighters in Arlington. During this campaign, I had my car stolen from my driveway. The crime problem is no joke.

I attended the Ft. Caroline neighborhood watch meeting the other night and heard Sheriff Rutherford lament as he is arresting the same people 2-3 times a month. That is absurd. As the Chief Assistant of the Clerk of the Courts, I was witness to this and I know that we need to send the message that you will pay the price when you commit a crime.

Lastly, the state can assist by providing extra funding not only for crime initiatives, but education as well. One of my platforms is to properly fund education to keep today’s kids out of tomorrow’s jails.

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JaxDaily: While you would probably admit to being considered the underdog in the race, you are out there aggressively campaigning and fundraising. What do you think your chances of actually winning are?

Gordon Morgan: I believe I have a very good chance. I haven’t had the money to do polling, but I have been conducting my own poll. I have been walking and knocking on doors every day since mid-February. The response has been great. I have just about covered every precinct in District 17.

As I have said many times, nobody is working harder than me in this campaign. I have walked in blistering heat and humidity, heavy rain, and lightning. I am a former U.S. Marine. I have no quit in me. This discipline is indicative of the way I will work for the people of District 17 in Tallahassee.

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JaxDaily: It seems that a write-in candidate has filed to run in your race, essentially with the purpose of closing the Republican primary to only Republican voters. First off, does this help or hurt your campaign? And secondly, how do you feel about the loophole that allows write-ins to be used to selectively close party primaries?

Gordon Morgan: Currently, it is totally legal so there is nothing to complain about. It doesn’t matter to me. I can only control how hard I work. If the write in candidate has a way to better the lives of the people of District 17, then bring them on.

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JaxDaily: What’s your favorite place to grab a bite to eat?

Gordon Morgan: Nothing beats the taste of my mom’s home style cooking. However, when I am out and about, I love to eat at the University Diner at Cesery and Merrill Rd. While campaigning on the north side, I have become fond of Terry’s and Toby’s.

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JaxDaily: Have you read any good books lately?

Gordon Morgan: No. I can’t walk, bang on doors, and read at the same time.

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JaxDaily: What other kinds of things do you enjoy doing while you’re not campaigning?

Gordon Morgan: My campaign manager won’t let me do anything else. I start at 6am and go until 9pm every day. I do recall having a Harley Davidson and some guns.

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JaxDaily: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Gordon Morgan: I am not a politician. I am a hard worker and will be very straight and to the point with constituents. I don’t have any scripted answers that dodge questions.

Serving the citizens of District 17 is a full time job. It is what they deserve and it is what I will give them. I am the only candidate in this race that has retired to run for office.

Thank you for having me Austin.

JaxDaily: Our area is going to be electing a lot of fresh faces to the legislature this year. What about your background and experience qualifies you to hit the ground running if you are sent to Tallahassee?

Doc Renuart: The legislature is about building support for your policy objectives. I’m a Ronald Reagan conservative - I share his deeply held conservative principles, and his belief in relationship-building to get things done. I have been drawing more support than my chief opponent, out-fundraising her in each of the last three quarters and qualifying by petition.

I have been president of the Ponte Vedra Republican Club, a member of the State Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee, and Chair of the State Medical Review Board for the FL Army National Guard.

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JaxDaily: If you are elected, what would be some of your top priorities for your time in office?

Doc Renuart: The most critical issue the state is facing is the economy and jobs. I want to reduce government regulations that place a tremendous drag on business and industry. This inhibits the creation of jobs and limits new business from looking at Florida for relocation. The state needs to release moneys from existing trust funds now to jump start the housing market. Taxes need to be lowered to prevent suffocating taxpayers during these rough economic times. I will also look to improve access to affordable healthcare for those who are under-insured.

Property insurance and the Catastrophic Fund are a crisis that needs to be re-addressed by legislature. The Cat Fund has Florida at risk for $28 Billion if a hurricane the size of Hurricane Andrew hits Florida. That could add an assessment of over $1000 to each insurance policy if these funds need to be replaced. Insurance is supposed to be spread out over a global risk pool. Attracting additional insurance companies to share that risk is our best solution.

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JaxDaily: What is your opinion on the St. Johns River Water Management District’s proposal to drain water from the river to supply Central Florida’s growing needs?

Doc Renuart: I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Zoology from the University of Florida. Much of our studies were focused on Florida waterways. I know that minimal changes in nutrients, salinity, and pH can cause drastic effects on the fragile ecosystems in our river system. My first mailing was dedicated to my defense of the St Johns River and will work with other North Florida delegates to vehemently oppose any mass siphoning of St Johns River or it tributaries.

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JaxDaily: What, if anything, can the state do to help the City of Jacksonville solve the high violent crime rates that we’ve been experiencing?

Doc Renuart: The state funds a lot of our crime prevention initiatives, like juvenile programs, probation and prisoner re-entry assistance, and the Drug Court that recently was almost cancelled in the 4th Circuit. I will look to local officials for guidance on what they need from the state to carry out a local strategy.

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JaxDaily: Which groups and individuals have endorsed your candidacy thus far?

Doc Renuart: Sen. Steve Wise, Sen. Durell Peaden, Sen. Carey Baker, Rep. Ed Homan, Rep. Paige Kreegel, St Johns County Commissioner Ron Sanchez, St Johns County Sheriff David Shoar, Jacksonville City Council members Clay Yarborough, Glorious Johnson, Don Redmon, Jack Webb, Jacksonville Beach City Council member Tom Taylor, Northeast Florida Builders Association, Florida Forestry Association, Co-endorsed by Duval Teachers United and Central Labor Council, Florida Medical Association, Florida Osteopathic Medical Association, Florida Podiatry Association, Florida Dental Association, and Florida Association of Physician Assistants.

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JaxDaily: On a personal note, what’s your favorite place to grab a bite to eat?

Doc Renuart: My wife Jackie and I enjoy dinner at Ragtime in Atlantic Beach. Around Ponte Vedra Beach, we often get a quick bite at Bogey’s Grill or AquaGrill, but for very special occasions we sometimes splurge and go to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse where our daughter works.

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JaxDaily: Have you read any good books lately?

Doc Renuart: I have been reading Team of Rivals, by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which recounts Abraham Lincoln’s administration and the challenges of building consensus within his cabinet during our country’s greatest struggle. I recommend this as great reading for anyone considering public service.

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JaxDaily: What other kinds of things do you enjoy doing while you’re not campaigning?
Doc Renuart: As I am a family man, I love to go camping with the family or with the scouts. My wife and I are avid football fans and we enjoy attending Pop Warner, High School, Gator, and College games. Restoring American muscle cars is my favorite hobby. I have an award winning 1968 Firebird that I enter in car shows.

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JaxDaily: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Doc Renuart: I am a Ronald Reagan conservative, deeply rooted in the same values as the people of the 18th district. I have been a leader in Northeast Florida Republican politics. Unlike my opponent, I have not spent my public service as part of the culture of big government and rapidly increasing spending. I’m proud to be a Colonel and former Chief Medical Officer of the Florida Army National Guard, having served in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan in my three tours of duty, including flying on more than 25 combat helicopter missions in 2007.

Dan Quiggle is the State Chairman of Americans for Prosperity, an anti-tax group that recently took on the mayor over a proposed property tax hike to fund the Jacksonville Journey. Quiggle was a candidate for U.S. Congress in 2000, running against Ander Crenshaw in the Republican Primary. He recently took a few moments to answer some questions for JaxDaily…

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JaxDaily: First off, what is Americans for Prosperity?

Dan Quiggle: Americans for Prosperity is the nation’s premier grassroots organization with over 280,000 members nationwide. AFP members advocate limited government and free markets on the local, state and federal levels. We work to advance public policies that champion the principles of entrepreneurship and fiscal and regulatory restraint.

Americans for Prosperity was founded by David Koch. Mr. Koch is the same individual who helped found the Cato Institute and the Institute for Justice. In addition, David and his brother Charles Koch own Koch Industries, the largest privately owned business in the United States. Koch Industries has over 20,000 employees and $90 billion in revenue annually.

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JaxDaily: How many members does AFP have in the Jacksonville area?

Dan Quiggle: Americans for Prosperity has over 13,000 members in Florida, including over a thousand here on the First Coast. In addition, our state office is based right here in Ponte Vedra Beach. AFP is unique in that we are probably one of the only grassroots organizations that will get involved in federal, state and local issues. We have the ability to use our national resources and some of the best policy analysts, political strategists, and media consultants in the country on any issue that we choose.

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JaxDaily: How did you first get involved with the group?

Dan Quiggle: I was honored to be asked to serve as State Chairman by my good friend and National President of AFP – Tim Phillips. We both share a passion for fighting for lower taxes and less government.

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JaxDaily: What role did AFP play in regard to the proposed Jacksonville Journey tax hike that has now been abandoned?

Dan Quiggle: Americans for Prosperity led the fight against Mayor Peyton’s proposed $250 million property tax increase. AFP members sent countless emails, wrote letters, held signs, spoke at meetings and attended rallies against the unnecessary tax hike. In addition, AFP members showed up at every meeting that the Mayor used to promote his plan and distributed literature pointing out how unnecessary and excessive his plan was.

Most compelling was when we obtained a copy of a poster from John Peyton’s mayoral campaign. The poster had a picture of the Mayor and said, “I am a strong fiscal conservative who will oppose any tax increases…” and had his signature beneath it. This was pretty surprising considering he was pushing a $250 million tax increase. We turned this poster into a flyer and distributed it at meetings around town. I firmly believe that we should hold politicians accountable.

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JaxDaily: What is the Taxpayer Protection Amendment and how has AFP been involved in promoting it?

Dan Quiggle: The Taxpayer Protection Amendment is the best method of insuring that the taxpayer is receiving fiscal responsibility and priority budgeting from their government. It also prevents the excessive growth of government spending and taxation.

Essentially, the Taxpayer Protection Amendment limits government spending increases on the state and local level to a combination of inflation and population growth. Any excessive revenue must be put into a rainy-day fund or credited to the taxpayers. If government wishes to grow at an even faster rate it will need to gain voter approval from the taxpayers. Essentially, the Taxpayer Protection Amendment prevents government from growing faster than the citizen’s ability to pay for it.

The Taxpayer Protection Amendment would prevent cuts from necessary services. Currently, we experience boom-bust budgeting. During times of economic growth, politicians spend all of the tax revenues that they receive. However, eventually the economy slows down leaving government with significant shortfalls. At this point government must either cut services or raise taxes. Neither of these are easy options.

With a Taxpayer Protection Amendment in place the growth of government is smoothed out. This forces governments to use priority budgeting. Also, with excess revenue in a budget stabilization fund, budget cuts become less necessary during times of economic decline.

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JaxDaily: Does Americans for Prosperity take a position on the Fair Tax?

Dan Quiggle: While many AFP members personally support the Fair Tax, AFP as an organization has no specific stance on this issue.

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JaxDaily: What is your position on the off-shore drilling proposals that have been floated as of late?

Dan Quiggle: Americans for Prosperity members are working hard to advance environmentally-safe offshore drilling. We support Senator Martinez’s proposal to allow drilling more than 50 miles off the coast. Technology has advanced significantly in drilling and oil companies have reduced their spill rate to .001% of all oil drilled. In addition, Hurricane Katrina proved that today’s oil rigs are able to withstand tremendous storms without causing any significant leaks.

If we drill now prices will lower instantly. A large amount of the price increase that we’ve seen in gasoline is due to speculation. The impression among speculators is that the U.S. will never allow drilling. Once we change that impression prices will lower instantly. Florida is on the front lines of this important issue and we need to act now.

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JaxDaily: Back in 2000, you were a candidate for U.S. Congress. Do you see yourself ever seeking public office again in the future?

Dan Quiggle: Timing is everything. If I believe there is a need, I will run. If we really care about these issues we must eventually work to effect change. I truly enjoyed the campaign experience because I was able to highlight these important issues.

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JaxDaily: Thanks very much for giving us a few moments of your time, is there anything else you would like to add?

Dan Quiggle: One of my favorite quotes is “things may come to those that wait, but only what is left from those that hustle.” I believe we have to out hustle and out smart our opponents if we are going to achieve success. Life is too short to sit on the sidelines.

Americans for Prosperity is currently hosting a series of town hall meetings around the state. These meetings will be an excellent opportunity for individuals to learn more about issues facing taxpayers today, like gas prices and property taxes.  We will also do some training to teach people how to more effectively advance their beliefs.  In addition, we will be inviting local elected officials to attend and answer your questions. A Jacksonville town hall will be held on July 31st from 6:00 – 7:30pm at the Southeast Library near Gate and JTB. Duval County Tax Collector Mike Hogan will be in attendance and we will be discussing Mayor Peyton’s new fees.

For more information, please visit www.afpfl.com

Milford Shirley is the President of the Jacksonville Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, a group that gained major attention over a zoning dispute with the city last year. Shirley also hosts his own radio talk show. He was kind enough to answer a few questions for JaxDaily.

JaxDaily: First off, what is the Experimental Aircraft Association?

Milford Shirley: The EAA is a group of people that have the hobby of building aircraft as a common thread. Paul Poberezney was a WW2 pilot and along with a handful of others in Wisconsin formed the Association. It has grown to a world wide organization that does a lot more than just work with the FAA on protecting our right to build and fly. We also have what we call the Young EAgles program where we take kids between the ages of 8 and 17 up for a ride in a general aviation aircraft. The kids are absolutely thrilled and the pilots have a great time showing off the hobby they love!

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Milford Shirley: I’m a late bloomer. When I was growing up I never thought about becoming a pilot even though I was always interested in airplanes. The idea of becoming a pilot for my private enjoyment would have been a foreign idea. Then my very young next door neighbor announced he was working on his Private Pilot Certificate. By nature I’m not a jealous person, but this was an exception. After listening to me gripe for 2 weeks about it, my wife finally told me that if I would go get mine she would pay for it!

I actually joined the local chapter of EAA while I was going through my training just as an additional way to learn about flying. The idea of building an aircraft in my garage was pretty far out there at the time. After going to a few meetings and looking through the magazines I started realizing that there were a lot of highly skilled craftsmen that took this thing very seriously.

On the FAA aircraft register, about 20% of all general aviation aircraft are actually what are termed Experimental meaning they were built by a private individual.

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Sarah Lovett is a Republican candidate for State House of Representatives in District 14 and will face the winner of the Democratic primary (either Mia Jones or Pat Lockett-Felder) in November. Mrs. Lovett took a few moments to answer some questions for JaxDaily…

JaxDaily: Why did you decide to run for State House? Is this something you’ve thought about for a long time?

Sarah Lovett: Actually, this isn’t something I have thought about a long time, maybe a lot in a one year period, but not something I planned on doing.  The past few years I have become increasingly involved in local government activities and groups. 

During the primaries I became inspired to get involved and try to do something that would preserve the freedoms I realized many of us have and are taking for granted.  Though it would be nice to continue on about my daily business and life, I realized it was time for some of us “regular”folks to get our hands dirty and begin the process of restoring our republic and constitutional government.

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Jax Daily: Why did you decide to run for city council? Is this something you’ve thought about for a long time?

Joe Clements: I have thought about running for City Council for several years. And, I believe this is the right time. I believe that each of us needs to get more involved in our community. I am a firm believer that one person can make a difference. A leader should have many skills.

Three of the most important are: Responsibility, Professionalism, and Enthusiasm.

I have those skills. I have over twenty-five years of experience in the work force. I have developed leadership skills both in the government sector and in the private sector. We are so blessed to be able to live in Jacksonville. I believe in Jacksonville. I have positive visions for the future of Jacksonville.

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