More often than not these days elections are a matter of choosing the least awful candidate.

It has often been the case in presidential elections and for an undetermined number of voters that certainly is the case in the mayor’s election, which will be decided Tuesday.

It should be an easy victory for Daniel Davis, but two recent announcements demonstrate his problem.

Although he is running against a liberal Democrat, she has high name recognition, which is important is the case of low-information voters — those who know little about the candidates or the issues.

Davis is a businessman with considerable experience in government, and a Republican.

But Davis is perceived by some as Lenny Curry 2.0 and Curry has not been an overwhelming success, to say the least.

An even more serious problem is that Davis associates with the worst elements in the Republican fold, who wage take-no-prisoners war against other Republicans in primary races.

This has the unfortunate tendency to alienate Republicans who ordinarily would be staunch supporters in a runoff.

City Council Member Randy DeFoor is a good example. She has been an excellent conservative Republican in office and does not plan to run again. But she has endorsed Democrat Donna Deegan.

She told Eye on Jacksonville “…it is time to stop being party blind. Sometimes we have to do what is right even if it costs us.”

Council Member Matt Carlucci, who is a registered Republican, also said he will vote for Deegan.

In the end, Davis may have won the battle by winning the primary but lost the war.

If that happens there will be a lesson learned for future candidates.

Meanwhile, the electorate would have to count on a Republican majority in the council to be the bulwark against a radical tax-and-spend Democrat mayor.