Associated Press, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Associated PressNovember 13, 2015

Hillary Rodham Clinton has locked up public support from half of the Democratic insiders who cast ballots at the party’s national convention, giving her a commanding advantage over her rivals for the party’s presidential nomination. Clinton’s margin over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is striking. Not only is it big, […]

Associated PressNovember 13, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, brushing aside any recent claims of civility, has equated Ben Carson‘s childhood “pathological temper” to the illness of a child molester, questioned his religious awakening and berated voters who support him. “How stupid are the people of Iowa?” declared Trump during a rally at Iowa Central Community College. “How stupid […]

Associated PressNovember 13, 2015

Republican presidential rivals Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are backpedaling furiously as they try to outmaneuver each other on immigration. Rubio co-wrote a massive 2013 immigration bill that passed the Senate. He disavows it now, but Cruz won’t stop talking about it. Cruz opposed the bill, but he offered amendments to massively increase legal […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

CBS News sees its coverage of Saturday’s Democratic presidential debate as a key moment in helping to establish CBSN, the streaming service that just celebrated its first birthday. Political reporter Major Garrett will host a preview of the debate an hour before it begins on CBSN. The free service will stream the debate live, accompanied […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott is calling on the state’s colleges to improve their graduation rates. Scott on Thursday challenged Florida’s 28 public colleges to boost the number of students who graduate. Scott said that currently 43 percent of students graduate with an associate degree within three years. The governor wants that number to more than […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

For months, Marco Rubio‘s campaign team in South Carolina operated out of a staffer’s garage, plotting strategy for the first-in-the-South primary from freshly painted yard sale furniture and tiny classroom desks. The shoestring budget setup was a point of pride for the Republican presidential candidate’s team. Now, with Rubio enjoying a burst of momentum as […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

In the market for a beachfront mansion in South Florida? An 11-bedroom home with 22-carat gold leaf-coated balconies, fountains, gates and doors has hit the market for $159 million. Called Le Palais Royal, the Hillsboro Beach home is modeled after the French royal palace Versailles. The Miami Herald reports the 60,000-square-foot home is still under […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

Republican presidential contender Ben Carson has maintained a business relationship with a close friend convicted of defrauding insurance companies and testified on his behalf, even as the candidate has called for such crimes to be punished harshly. Pittsburgh dentist Alfonso A. Costa pleaded guilty to a felony count of health care fraud after an FBI […]

Associated PressNovember 12, 2015

A steady debate performance may have helped keep Jeb Bush‘s campaign afloat. But if Bush was good in Tuesday night’s prime-time face-off, rival Marco Rubio was probably better. And the Republican candidates’ conflicting trajectories played out in Iowa on Wednesday as a confident Rubio worked to sustain his progress while Bush pursued a new strategy […]

Associated PressNovember 11, 2015

Key West hotels are reporting that fewer people came to town for Fantasy Fest, but higher room rates compensated for the dip in occupancy. The Key West Citizen reports that the average nightly cost of a hotel room for the main weekend of the 10-day Fantasy Fest jumped from about $238 last year to $413 […]

Associated Press

Party insiders give Hillary Clinton early, commanding delegate edge

Did Donald Trump just equate Ben Carson to child molester?

Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz in fight to reshape their records on immigration

CBS hopes debate coverage will boost streaming service

Rick Scott wants colleges to improve graduation rates

Marco Rubio’s low-budget campaign looks to ramp up as voting nears

South Florida mansion hits market for $159 million

Ben Carson profits from ties with convicted felon

Jeb Bush focuses on Hillary Clinton while Marco Rubio presses on after debate

Fewer Keys guests, higher hotel rates during Fantasy Fest