Bill Rufty, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bill RuftyNovember 6, 2018

Republican Sen. Kelli Stargel of Lakeland held off a strong state Democratic Party effort to flip her Florida Senate District 22 blue by defeating retired circuit judge Robert Doyel, a Winter Haven Democrat. The district had become an unexpected highly competitive race. The final results were Stargel with 105,475 votes or 53 percent of ballots […]

Bill RuftyNovember 5, 2018

“Once more unto the breach, dear friends.” — King Henry the Fifth, William Shakespeare. On Tuesday, state Rep. Josie Tomkow is running for re-election to Florida House District 39. Nevertheless, she has not yet sat in a Legislative Session. Elected May 1 to replace state Rep. Neil Combee, who resigned Nov. 24, 2017, to accept a […]

Bill RuftyNovember 3, 2018

Democratic members of Congress and a national women’s political group began a heavy push toward Election Day for Lakeland attorney Kristen Carlson in her campaign for Florida’s 15th Congressional District. U.S. Reps. Val Demings, and Darren Soto and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez a Democrat from New York and the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected […]

Bill RuftyNovember 2, 2018

Phil Hornback and his wife, Sara, left teaching to become a Realtor because, he said, of the low pay low pay to educators in Florida. They both still have no health insurance since leaving teaching. Hornback said he is more concerned about the others in House District 58 who have low paying jobs and no […]

Bill RuftyOctober 24, 2018

Dennis Ross, the Republican congressman from the 15th Congressional District, joined Southeastern University President Kent Ingle to announce the retiring congressman’s new job during a Wednesday news conference. The Lakeland Republican is becoming part of a major center for the teaching of government and civics both for students and the general public. Upon his departure from the U.S. House […]

Bill RuftyOctober 2, 2018

Lakeland Democrat Kristen Carlson’s campaign released a quarter million dollar campaign ad Tuesday in her race for Florida’s 15th Congressional District. The massive ad buy is her first major ad campaign since winning the party’s nomination in a three-way race in the August 28 primary. It will run over the major television network stations and cable […]

Bill RuftySeptember 20, 2018

Lake Wales Democrat Catherine Price and state Rep. Ben Albritton held the closest thing to a Senate District 28 debate Wednesday before the Tiger Bay Club of Polk County. While they tried to play nice, it wound up becoming a political junkie’s dream. The seat, currently held by Republican Sen. Denise Grimsley, a Republican, will […]

Bill RuftyAugust 28, 2018

ELECTION-RESULTS-Bob-Doyel-vs.-Ricardo-Rangel.jpg

Retired Circuit Judge Robert Doyel of Winter Haven defeated former state Rep. Ricardo Rangel of Osceola County to win the Democratic Party’s nomination for Florida Senate District 22. The unofficial vote tally was 20,770 for Doyel, or 66 percent of votes cast, to 10,672, or 34 percent, for Rangel. “I am happy with the outcome, but not resting,” […]

Bill RuftyAugust 23, 2018

The campaign of Kristen Carlson, a Lakeland Democrat running for Florida’s 15th Congressional District, is accusing primary opponent Andrew Learned of Valrico of negative campaigning. Learned’s campaign claims Carlson‘s money is coming from outside the district, making her beholden to corporate campaign contributors. A political scientist from Florida Southern College in Lakeland said the damage of a […]

Bill RuftyAugust 13, 2018

Retired Circuit Judge Robert Doyel has the largest competitive edge of any of the six Republican-held Senate seats specifically targeted by the Florida Democratic Party, according to a recent internal survey. The Winter Haven Democrat is running for Senate District 22, which covers northern Polk County and southern Lake County and is currently held by […]

Bill Rufty
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

No flip in Senate District 22; Kelli Stargel wins

Josie Tomkow seeks re-election, despite never seeing a Session

Kristen Carlson gets backup from Val Demings, Darren Soto

Phil Hornback confident he can oust Lawrence McClure in HD 58

Dennis Ross’ latest gig: Develop college program in civics, civility

Democrat Kristen Carlson commits to $250K ad buy in CD 15

SD 26 candidates ‘debate’ first time face-to-face

Robert Doyel defeats Ricardo Rangel in SD 22 Democratic primary

CD 15 Democratic primary split could mean general election defeat

Poll gives Robert Doyel a 5-point lead over Kelli Stargel in battleground SD 22