Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Lloyd DunkelbergerJanuary 6, 2019

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Ron DeSantis will be Florida’s youngest governor in more than a century when he takes office on Tuesday. DeSantis, a former congressman from Ponte Vedra Beach, turned 40 about two weeks after he won the Aug. 28 Republican primary. He will be the youngest governor on Inauguration Day since Park Trammell took the oath of […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 3, 2019

The special election hasn’t been called yet, but the arms race to replace Republican state Rep. Halsey Beshears in House District 7 is ramping up. A day after five current and retired sheriffs announced they were backing his opponent, Port St. Joe Republican Jason Shoaf put out a fundraiser invite featuring a slew of influential […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 19, 2018

Governor-elect Ron DeSantis‘ Education and Workforce Development Committee continued its deliberations Wednesday, offering every indication that education’s transformation in Florida will only accelerate under his administration. DeSantis promoted school choice on the campaign trail (one school of thought says this helped him with African-American women, who may see their children benefiting from charter schools). Perhaps the […]

Peter SchorschNovember 14, 2018

Carol Gormley, a veteran legislative staffer, will be chief of staff to incoming House Speaker Jose Oliva, according to an email sent to members by the Speaker’s Office on Wednesday. Gormley is a highly-regarded health care policy expert who has worked for both Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio. She’s not a household name outside of Tallahassee, […]

Drew WilsonAugust 16, 2018

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Senate President Joe Negron and a half-dozen of his predecessors announced Thursday that they were backing Sebring Sen. Denise Grimsley in the Republican primary for Agriculture Commissioner. “Denise undeniably has the best experience and background to be Florida’s next Commissioner of Agriculture,” said Negron, who is leaving the Senate effective Election Day. “I am proud […]

Staff ReportsJuly 18, 2018

The Protect Dogs-Yes on 13 campaign Wednesday announced it had received endorsements from more current and former lawmakers, civic organizations, animal welfare organizations, and others. Among them: state Sen. Dana Young, a Tampa Republican. “It’s time for Florida to move beyond mandated greyhound racing,” Young said. Usually, pari-mutuels in Florida are required to continue running live dog or horse races to […]

Jim RosicaApril 16, 2018

Florida voters will decide whether to outlaw greyhound racing under a proposed constitutional amendment approved Monday. The proposal (P6012) was passed by the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) on a 27-10 vote; it needed at least 22 votes. It will go directly to November’s statewide ballot, where it needs at least 60 percent approval to be added to […]

Danny McAuliffeApril 16, 2018

The ‘revolving door’ of elected officials and lobbyists could soon get jammed. A proposed constitutional amendment that would mandate a six-year lobbying ban on all elected officeholders, agency heads and judges cleared the Florida Constitution Revision Commission in a 30-4 vote on Monday. If approved by 60 percent of voters in November, public officers will […]

Joe HendersonMarch 21, 2018

When someone complains the government did something they don’t like, I sometimes engage in a fun little exercise known as “name your lawmaker.” Sure, everyone knows Donald Trump, and Stormy Daniels is on the way to becoming a household name. However, the laws that most directly affect our lives are made closer to home. So, I’ll ask […]

Lloyd DunkelbergerFebruary 5, 2018

The Florida Constitution Revision Commission may wade into the state’s process for restoring voting rights of ex-felons, after a federal judge ruled the current clemency process is unconstitutional. Members of the commission’s Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously agreed Friday to explore ways to consider the issue, either through additional committee meetings or by amending a […]

Tag: Don Gaetz

Ron DeSantis brings ‘generational shift’ to Capitol

Big name Republicans on board for Jason Shoaf fundraiser

Accountability will underscore Ron DeSantis’s education agenda

Personnel note: Jose Oliva names Carol Gormley as chief of staff

Senate Presidents endorse Denise Grimsley for Agriculture Commissioner

Greyhound racing-ban group releases another round of endorsements

Greyhound racing ban heads to voters

Voters will decide on lobbying reform this fall

Joe Henderson: Do we really need amendment about teaching civics? Maybe

Constitution panel could look for clemency fix