Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Steve SchaleJanuary 24, 2016

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked me in the last two weeks what the new State Senate maps mean for the partisan balance of the State Senate, I wouldn’t need to play Powerball. There is no question the maps are good news for Democrats. But how much good news? The answer […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 13, 2016

The financial cold shoulder Republican state Senators had been giving to the Republican Party of Florida appears to be thawing. As reported by several outlets after Monday’s campaign finance reporting deadline, the RPOF’s fundraising totals are their lowest in years. They even failed to double up the Florida Democratic Party, as was standard most years. […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 8, 2016

The Florida Council for Safe Communities said Thursday it will back legislation to increase penalties for suspected drunken drivers who decline sobriety tests. “Our mission is to make Florida the safest state in the country, especially for our most vulnerable citizens,” council Chairman John Giotis said. “That’s why we enthusiastically support House Bill 555, Rep. Scott Plakon’s tough drunk […]

Scott PowersJanuary 7, 2016

The renumbering of Florida Senate seats is changing timetables on political ambitions. Among the potential changes to partisan matchups is the possibility state Sen. David Simmons might draw a primary challenge from state Rep. Jason Brodeur. Brodeur, a Republican from Sanford, has been contemplating running for Simmons’ seat in 2018 when they’re both term-limited out of […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 5, 2016

The Florida Senate’s bronze seal, which usually hangs behind the Senate President’s lectern, was removed this week not only to replace the seal’s depiction of the Confederate flag but also in anticipation of still more design changes, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. In October, the Senate decided to remove a Confederate flag from the chamber’s official seal and replace […]

Jim RosicaOctober 28, 2015

For the first time in recent memory, a sitting Florida senator invoked the Senate Rules during a floor session to call out a colleague specifically for impugning his integrity. State Sen. Don Gaetz, a Niceville Republican and previous Senate President, raised a “question of personal privilege” to defend his honor against attacks made in the press […]

Jim RosicaOctober 22, 2015

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Making the Tampa Bay region look like a game of Twister, Senate Rules Chairman David Simmons late Thursday filed his own proposed map redrawing the state’s Senate districts. For instance, Simmons’ map creates a 16th District that takes in about the same area currently represented by GOP Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater, not by jumping the bay, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 21, 2015

The head of the Senate’s redistricting panel said he plans to file a bill for the Senate’s new district boundaries by late Wednesday and begin to discuss it by Friday. Despite seemingly little headway made during an hours-long meeting earlier in the day, State Sen. Bill Galvano said redistricting legislation could be on the floor […]

Jim RosicaOctober 21, 2015

State Sen. Tom Lee has emerged a lone voice of Republican dissent over the ongoing effort to redraw the Senate’s district map. Lee, a Brandon Republican and former Senate president, sits on the chamber’s redistricting panel that is meeting Wednesday. The morning part of the meeting was slowed down with technical and legal explanations. Essentially, however, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 19, 2015

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In a surprise move, Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner on Monday brought up for discussion a plan to remove a Confederate flag from the chamber’s official seal and replace it with the state flag. The plan was adopted without objection during the first floor session of the third Special Session of this year, though not before several senators were […]

Tag: David Simmons

Steve Schale: New state Senate map favors the Democrats

Despite intraparty tension, state Senators pony up cash to Florida GOP

Florida Council for Safe Communities backs stronger DUI penalties, opposes relaxed cannabis and alcohol bills

Senate seat renumbering has Jason Brodeur eyeing primary against David Simmons

State Senate seal could be changing – again

Don Gaetz strikes back against ‘bully’ Jack Latvala

David Simmons files map for Senate redistricting

Bill Galvano says Senate redistricting could be on floor by early next week

Tom Lee’s dissent grows over Senate redistricting effort

Senate removes Confederate flag from official seal