Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland recently posted on social media that his office was going to have some big news.
A candidate was filing the paperwork to run for mayor.
There was a flurry of speculation. Names were bandied about. Then Holland posted an update, a photo in the elections office of himself with the candidate.
Jaxson de Ville.
Yes, the Jaguars mascot.
To help encourage voter registration for the November election, Jaxson visited the elections office, kicked back in Holland’s chair, raided some “I voted” stickers and attempted to file to run for office.
A couple of things came to mind when I saw this: Does anyone register to vote because of an NFL mascot? Second, and more significant, does this mean Jaxson isn’t running
for office?
Because imagine if he did.
He’s popular. He’d have instant name recognition. And not just locally. He was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame a couple of years ago.
Yes, there is a Mascot Hall of Fame. It includes the San Diego Chicken and Phillie Phanatic but not the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents — who I’d definitely vote for if they ever ran in a race other than around the outfield.
With his exposure, Jaxson could fundraise far beyond Northeast Florida — although he might not want to ask for anything in Nashville, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and a bunch of other NFL cities.
He’s spent years making public appearances, rallying crowds.
He sure knows how to make an entrance.
There are plenty of pictures of him posing with military members and first responders — a staple of any campaign.
There are ready-made slogans: Nine Lives, One Jacksonville!
He’d have the “furry” vote.
And why stop at mayor? I mean, he’s used to creating controversy with a Sharpie, which just might make him a candidate for the White House.
But … there is a big difference between football and politics. Just ask Herschel Walker.
Imagine the attack ads
Imagine what Jaxson would face if he decided to run.
∎ The residency issue.
Sure, the Jaguars’ website says Jaxson was “first discovered as a stray cat in 1993 living at the stadium” and that he lived in the south scoreboard until the 1996 season, when he officially became the team mascot.
But next year the Jaguars will be playing in Orlando, which raises some political questions.
Where will Jaxson be residing? Will he still be living somewhere in the under-renovation stadium? Or will he be living it up in Orlando with Mickey and Minnie and the rest of the anthropomorphic characters running around that town?
∎ The stadium issue.
Voters typically don’t like it when politicians use taxpayer dollars to renovate their homes. And Jaxson’s home is getting a $1.4 billion renovation — with taxpayers picking up $775 million of the tab.
∎ The Speedo photos.
Sure, there are plenty of heartwarming photos of Jaxson. There’s also the Speedo photos.
He has gone viral for wearing a yellowish body suit and a flag-inspired Speedo, celebrating touchdowns with a few pelvic thrusts.
Even as a mascot, that led to polarizing reactions. Some people loved it. Others said, “I’ll never be able to unsee …”
∎ The furry backlash.
Sure, being a furry yellow mascot might help in some circles. But there also might be backlash. Some voters might not be ready for a mascot in office. And the cat/dog divide could come into play, leading to a debate where someone says “they’re eating the big cats.”
∎ The “ebola sign" issue.
One of Jaxson’s biggest controversies came in 2014. During a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he held one of the yellow Terrible Towels and a handwritten sign that referenced a global epidemic: “TOWELS CARRY EBOLA.”
That created quite the stir, leading to the Jaguars issuing an apology.
In today’s politics, who knows where that would go. Some consultants might have Jaxson apologize. Others might have him double-down, going off about cancel culture, vaccines and how, despite our differences in these tumultuous times, there’s something we can all agree upon: Myles Jack wasn’t down.
Not that we’ve ever heard Jaxson talk. Which might not be a bad thing. Some of our politicians are better off when they don’t speak or tweet or even reach for a Sharpie.
And, all in all, it’s probably best if Jaxson sticks to being a mascot.
But it is worth repeating his recent message. We have a very important election coming up in November. Register to vote. The deadline is Oct. 5.
Florida Times-Union columnist Mark Woods: mwoods@jacksonville.com and (904) 359-4212.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Does Jacksonville finally have a political candidate to unite behind?
