Will Jacksonville Seek Some Youngblood As Old School Hazouri Is Left Behind?

In 1974, Richard Nixon was President, t he Altair 8000 (The first personal computer invented by Bill Gates) was still in development, and the name “Darth Vader” meant nothing. Surely a lot has changed over the past 40 years but one thing remains the same in 2015, Tommy Hazouri will once again be on our ballots.

Since his first elected official gig, a twelve year stint as a member of the House of Representatives, Hazouri has demonstrated that there really is not an elected position that he won’t seek. He spent one term as Mayor and two terms on the Duval County School Board in addition to appointed positions. Add in a failed mayoral re-election and its clear that the guy has been around the proverbial government block a few times.

Like a Pet Rock that never went out of style, some politicians never ride off into the sunset.

But change may be in the air.

If the first election is any indication of what is to come, Tommy’s inevitability may be in question when voters return to the polls in May. Hazouri will face off with newcomer, Geoff Youngblood, who earned 42 percent of the vote compared to Hazouri’s 44 percent. With just two points separating the two, the At Large Group 3 race has turned into a surprisingly close race. If Republican turnout increases just a little, things could bode poorly for the former mayor.

Youngblood, an owner and creater of local small business Tools-For-A-Time, has been a long time resident of Jacksonville. Geoff boasts conservative credentials, a family that would fit perfectly in a hallmark greeting card, and an actual plan to fix Jacksonville’s flawed procurement process, pension crisis, and budget failings. Its a classic contest of substance verses name recognition.

But when it comes to elections, voters tend to go with the familiar, no matter how bland. Why celebrate your anniversary with a Chateau Margaux when you can just buy a familiar CocaCola?

But Hazouri wont leave anything to chance. Like the Calvary’s arrival at the Battle of Little RoundTop, the good old boys network has begun to swarm. And why shouldn’t they? Hazouri is not only a member but a founder of the centralization of power here in Jacksonville. There are millions of dollars of your taxpayer money to be doled out, this is not the time for change.

Within months, Hazouri has raised over 162,000 dollars in his campaign account alone, and racked the endorsements of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, Northeast Florida Builders Association, Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police, and past Mayors Jake Godbold, John Peyton, and John Delaney.

But Hazouri faces a challenge that could cause him real problems. Hazouri is a devout democrat who supports an all inclusive change to the human rights ordinance stating that discrimination is wrong in all its fashions but yet faces the hypocrisy of his own voting history.

In 2008 when the opportunity arose to change the name of Forrest highschool, named after Nathan Bedford Forrest, the first Grand Wizard of the KKK, then School Board Member Tommy Hazouri is reported to have stated “I believe that we should leave the name where it is.” He justified his position stating that it was unknown “who the real Forrest is.”

Supporters of the founder of the Klan, insist of Forrest’s inclusiveness while citing ramblings such as “I am not an enemy of the Negro. We want him here among us; he is the only laboring class we have.” (Yeah, sure. Pretty much the MLK Jr of his time.)

Hazouri did an about face and changed positions in 2013 when the School Board Reacted to over 160,000 petitions requesting a name change. However the damage remained in the black community.

Local Black activist Orian Benjamin Reddick, is quoted in FloridaPolitics artical, “I learned living in the South that white men who wore sheets and had titles like Grand Wizard were part of the KKK. Hazouri grew up in Jacksonville and knew this also. To tell me different and then refuse to comment on the issue is a bigger slap in the face than voting to keep the name.” (http://floridapolitics.com/archives/11321)

As evidence of continued damage in the black community, highly outmatched democrat opponent Mincy Pollac took over 13 percent of the electorate. Presumably, Hazouri’s Democrat base.

With a strong Republican opponent and a vulnerable support among Democrat voters, it will be intriguing to watch the election results unfold. Even if Youngblood can pull off the big upset, I wouldn’t fret too much for Hazouri. Like the gnat you just cant swat, he will continue to find his way onto your ballot in the future.

Heck, he still hasnt run for Soil and Water Conservation Board yet.