Nat Glover - Mayoral Candidate and Later Life

Mayoral Candidate and Later Life

In 2003, Nat Glover ran for Mayor of Jacksonville but was defeated by Republican candidate John Peyton, in the most expensive mayoral race in Jacksonville's history. An African-American had never served as mayor in Jacksonville, until Alvin Brown's election on May 19, 2011. Glover's campaign focused on education, economic development, and managing the city's growth. "Jacksonville is poised for greatness. I want to be the mayor that allows us to show the state how great we are", Nat Glover said.

The campaign was briefly marred by racism; after Matt Carlucci, a white Republican candidate, endorsed Glover after being defeated in the open primary, his business was vandalized with racial slurs against Glover. Vandals also spray-painted racist graffiti on Glover's headquarters, though witnesses to the crime described the vandals of this incident as being black males.

After retiring from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Glover served on several boards, and was hired as a special adviser by University of North Florida President John Delaney, the former Mayor of Jacksonville.

Glover and his wife Doris J. Bailey have two children, two grandsons and a granddaughter. He says his most admired people are Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Wright brothers. Nat Glover stated "I always felt like if I could make the children and the senior citizens safe, everyone in between would be OK".