Bob Sparks, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bob SparksDecember 22, 2014

The 2008 American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays may be on their way out of Florida. A move is not imminent, but recent events increase the odds that Miami may eventually be the only remaining Major League Baseball team in the long term. Last week in a 5-3 vote, the St. Petersburg City Council voted […]

Bob SparksNovember 23, 2014

After every election, three things are certain. First, the winning party claims a mandate followed by the losing party lamenting the failure of their voters to turn out. The final story of the post-election trilogy features the losing side commissioning a self-analysis to find out what went wrong. Following their wipeout at the hands of […]

Bob SparksNovember 11, 2014

On Nov. 4, Florida Republicans joined with their counterparts around the country to celebrate a number of big victories. The next day, a group of Republicans gathered in Orange Park to lament a tremendous loss. We were there to remember the man many believe was the architect and general contractor who laid the foundation for […]

Bob SparksOctober 29, 2014

Charlie Crist first ran for Governor in 2006. His victory marked the first time a Republican succeeded another Republican as Florida’s chief executive. It is helpful to remember the circumstances at the time. Many of those same circumstances are present today. Heading into the 2006 election, President George W. Bush had approval ratings hovering near […]

Bob SparksOctober 20, 2014

With the election only two weeks away, we suffer degrees of numbness from the political ads. Depending on your region of Florida, you may already have fled to Netflix or DVDs to escape the bombardment. But complaining about negative ads is pointless because they’re so effective. For those seeking a respite, I recommend reading or […]

Bob SparksOctober 6, 2014

Few races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives fall into the competitive category, but Florida has one of the top 10 most watched campaigns in the country. Democrat Gwen Graham’s challenge to Republican Rep. Steve Southerland for the Congressional District 2 seat is a political scientist’s dream. The numbers for District 2 paint […]

Bob SparksOctober 1, 2014

In April 2012 the United States Secret Service took a big hit. A public relations torpedo exploded when agents on the presidential detail, along with supervisors, were found to have cavorted with prostitutes in Cartegena, Colombia. All of this occurred shortly before President Barack Obama was set to arrive. An investigation revealed this type of […]

Bob SparksSeptember 22, 2014

The latest blowup between Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and the Democratic “establishment” poses the greatest danger yet to the Broward County congresswoman’s continued employment at the DNC. This hit is nothing less than a political Seal Team mission. It was a stealth operation conducted by well-placed, unnamed sources designed to inflict maximum […]

Bob SparksSeptember 16, 2014

The audacity of Republican politicians is limitless. Someone wants to be president of a prestigious Florida university and this person has no experience in academia? Faculty is apoplectic. Students want to be heard. If this man becomes president, the school will lose prestige, grants, and perhaps a few members of the hyper-agitated faculty. But this […]

Bob SparksSeptember 9, 2014

Campaigns begin long before Labor Day each year, but the attention span of millions of voters is short prior to September. What is said and done during the fall by incumbents and challengers runs a great risk of defining a candidate and his or her party. The results can be devastating. Republicans painfully remember Todd […]

Bob Sparks

Bob Sparks: St. Pete plays hardball. Could Rays be on way out of Florida?

Bob Sparks: Elections show that National Democratic leadership needed to change

Bob Sparks: Tom Slade laid the foundation for today’s GOP dominance

Bob Sparks: Don’t underestimate Crist’s ability to connect with people

Bob Sparks: The incredible non-political story of Lorenzo Cain

Bob Sparks: Gwen Graham must overcome Steve Southerland and Barack Obama

Bob Sparks: Florida’s Pierson quits as Secret Service boss after White House breach

Bob Sparks: Debbie Wasserman Schultz administration winding down

Bob Sparks: Thrasher’s critics should reveal their choice for FSU presidency

Bob Sparks: Democratic candidates must overcome flaws of party leadership