Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesNovember 9, 2021

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott promised the National Republican Senatorial Committee will help defend so-called “election integrity” laws in Florida and elsewhere. He also accuses Democratic election officials of trying to illegally count too many ballots in counties favoring his opponent in Florida’s 2018 Senate race. He made the public commitment to Republican National Committee Chair […]

Jacob OglesDecember 28, 2018

CNN singled out Republican Rick Scott’s U.S. Senate election effort this year as the “Best Campaign of 2018” nationwide during the just-wrapped election cycle. The Point Awards spotlighted the best and worst campaigns this year. It saw the term-limited Republican governor’s defeat of Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson — despite a national environment favoring the blue […]

Jacob OglesDecember 16, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s legal team says the number of uncounted vote-by-mail ballots exceeds incoming Sen. Rick Scott’s margin of victory when he defeated the incumbent in November. “Remember when we thought 6,670 mail ballots in Florida were rejected due to failure by the post office to deliver them in time to the counties?” said […]

Jacob OglesDecember 15, 2018

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson this year spent just short of $311 on his re-election effort as Republican opponent Rick Scott dropped a historic $63.5 million on the race. Final filings with the Federal Election Commission show Nelson spent upward of $31.1 million on the race, but little of that came from the candidate himself. That […]

Jacob OglesNovember 19, 2018

A 12-day recount process in Florida ultimately failed to change the outcome of three statewide races. But make no mistake, the result of this ballot scrutiny was historic. For starters, of course, this election marked the first time the Florida vote was close enough to send three statewide races—U.S. Senate, Governor and Agriculture Commissioner—to a […]

Jacob OglesNovember 18, 2018

Sen. Bill Nelson formally brought to a close his recount fight in the race for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat and conceded to Republican opponent Rick Scott. “I was not victorious in this race but I still wish to strongly reaffirm the cause for which we fought: A public office is a public trust,” said Nelson. […]

Jacob OglesNovember 18, 2018

A complete hand recount of a close U.S. Senate race and an even tighter Agriculture Commissioner contest ultimately produced no change in outcome. Election officials in Florida’s 67 counties faced a noon deadline today to submit results of a manual recount on two statewide races separated by less than a 0.25 percent. In the high-profile […]

Jacob OglesNovember 17, 2018

With a hand recount of U.S. Senate votes in Broward County complete, Democrat Bill Nelson netted less than 300 votes, according to Republican Rick Scott’s campaign. That’s bad news for the Democrat, who hoped the examination of some 32,000 undervotes in the heavily Democratic County would help close a 12,603-vote deficit in the election. Miami […]

Jacob OglesNovember 15, 2018

Even as a recount netted Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rick Scott votes, he continued to call on Democratic opponent Bill Nelson to somehow stop the process. “With over two-thirds of the machine recount completed, our margin of victory has grown,” Scott tweeted today. “It’s time for @SenBillNelson to end this recount.” Scott spokesman Chris Hartline […]

Jacob OglesNovember 12, 2018

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Bay County Supervisor of Elections Mark Andersen confirmed to Florida Politics that his office accepted more than 140 vote-by-mail ballots by fax machine or email, despite an executive order explicitly prohibiting the practice. “This office’s job is to ensure voters have the opportunity to cast their ballots,” Andersen explained. The elections official confirmed his office spoke […]

Tag: 2018 Senate race
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

Rick Scott promises NRSC will fight for ‘election integrity,’ revisits 2018 recount gripes

CNN names Rick Scott the ‘Best campaign of 2018’

Bill Nelson lawyer: Unopened ballots exceed Rick Scott victory margin

Bill Nelson spent $311 of own money to Rick Scott’s $63.5 million

Make no mistake, Florida’s recount results were historic

Bill Nelson ends recount fight, concedes to Rick Scott

Florida finished its hand recount. Here’s how it turned out.

Broward County hand recount nets little for Bill Nelson

Rick Scott wants to stop a recount he’s winning. That’s silly. Here’s why.

Bay County supervisor unilaterally accepted votes by fax, email