It’s official: Donna Deegan announces run for Jacksonville Mayor

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Donna Deegan has joined the race to become the next mayor of Jacksonville.

Deegan is a well-known figure in Northeast Florida as the founder of the DONNA Marathon and as a former Jacksonville news anchor.

On Tuesday morning, Deegan updated her Facebook cover photo to a campaign graphic along with the hashtag, “Change For Good.”

Deegan will formally make her announcement at an event in Springfield outside of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum at 11 a.m.

In 2020, Deegan, a Democrat, made her first run at public office in a hotly-contested campaign against Republican Congressman John Rutherford.

Rutherford, formerly sheriff of JSO, received 61% of the vote in the overwhelmingly Republican 4th Congressional District.

A survey of 1,263 registered voters from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab shows the Democrat is the choice of 19% of 1,263 registered voters in Duval County, according to Florida Politics reporter A.G. Gancarski.

A Jacksonville native, Deegan graduated from Bishop Kenny High School. She is the cousin of former Jacksonville mayor Tommy Hazouri.

Deegan joins Republican councilmen Matt Carlucci and Al Ferraro, as well as non-party affiliated candidates Omega Allen and Darcy G. Richardson in the race for Mayor.

Jacksonville voters will cast their votes on March 21, 2023.

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