Democratic former Soil and Water Commission Supervisor Rahman Johnson beat Republican former City Councilman John Draper for Jacksonville City Council District 14 on the Westside.
The new district was created by court order after a federal judge found the Jacksonville City Council racially gerrymandered its map.
Johnson and Draper were last elected in the 1990s, and they presented drastically different policy views in the race to represent Southwest Jacksonville.
Draper, who may have been one of the most anti-developer council members in city history, has complained that traffic in Argyle has become untenable because the city has overlooked the problem’s urgency. Draper, 66, has had no problem making enemies in his fights, leading civic activist groups like the Concerned Taxpayers of Duval County.
“I have a history of fighting for my neighborhood,” he told the Tributary before the March jungle primary. “The areas that I lived in, we fought hard to make sure we got what we needed. And I will take that same fight to the whole district.”
Johnson had emphasized the need to listen to the residents, fight for workers who live on the Westside and make roads safer while expanding public transportation options.
“The Westside is uniquely positioned as a great place for unique businesses to be,” Johnson told the Tributary before the March jungle primary. “It would be great for people not to have to go to Mandarin or go to Southside or other parts of this city but to have jobs that pay living wages and unique industries right here in our community.”
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This story was originally published by The Tributary