Daniel Tilson, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Daniel TilsonNovember 23, 2014

Thanksgiving’s coming, so let’s talk economic turkey. Election 2014 has strengthened the grip of big business and rich folks on Florida government and economic policy. The Florida Democratic Party (FDP) let the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) write and own the “narrative,” the storyline of what has and hasn’t happened in the economy on their […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 19, 2014

Let’s get it straight. Open political warfare over immigration reform isn’t starting with President Obama’s pre-Thanksgiving Executive Order on immigration. It started more than 16 months ago when the U.S. Senate did something amazing in this age of congressional gridlock, passing a compromise immigration reform bill with bipartisan input and support. That proposed legislation was […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 17, 2014

Like the excitement baseball fans feel every February when they hear the first crack of the bats in Spring Training, the creaking noises coming from Tallahassee this week are putting smiles on the faces of many a Sunshine State politico. Not so much everybody else, with good reasons. Yes, the new edition of the Florida […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 13, 2014

Unconvinced by Florida Election 2014 number crunching and tea leaf reading, both before and after Nov. 4’s Democratic doomsday? Me too. Of course, that’s not to say I haven’t been poring over plenty of it. But just as I wouldn’t give numbers undue weight in pre-election analysis, neither will I pin sweeping Democratic defeat on […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 8, 2014

In the wake of mistakes, failures and defeats, learning and adaptation opportunities abound. Seen through that filter, the aftermath of Election 2014 is a chance for the Florida Democratic Party (FDP) to do some rebranding, and reboot for 2016. Team Blue can talk itself blue in the face about almost $13 million in money bombs […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 5, 2014

The condolence calls, texts, tweets and Facebook messages started coming in just before 10:30 on Election Night, right after the Associated Press called Rick Scott the winner of the governor’s race. Family and friends from New York to California and points in between (including Florida!) knew how hard Floridians like my Mrs. and me fought […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 3, 2014

It may be the most undervalued, overlooked race on the Election 2014 Florida ballot. But mysuncoast.com has reported that none other than former Gov. Jeb Bush will appear with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam on the final day of his re-election campaign. The high-profile appearance in a low-profile race makes sense, given […]

Daniel TilsonNovember 2, 2014

As most of you know, Florida isn’t considered by political and Election 2014 analysts as a Republican “red state” or a Democratic “blue state,” but rather a politically divided “purple” state…when it comes to the electorate, that is. Remarkably but understandably enough though, that balance doesn’t reflect itself in the composition of our government, or […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 29, 2014

The first, best reason to vote for Charlie Crist for governor, and almost every other Democrat running in Florida’s 2014 elections, is that Gov. Rick Scott and almost every Republican candidate is committed to continuing an ugly era of unprecedented economic unfairness in the state. If you think that’s liberal rhetoric or partisan political spin…no […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 28, 2014

Data about Florida’s Election 2014 registered voter population confirms what a lot of people already sense or know. Growing numbers of independent voters registered with “No Party Affiliation” (NPA) are not so slowly, steadily, throwing traditional two-party machine politics in Florida for a loop. While Democratic and Republican “get out the vote” strategists and grassroots […]

Daniel Tilson
Rodney Guttman, image via University of West Florida.

Daniel Tilson: Rewriting the Florida Republican economic narrative

Daniel Tilson: We should welcome Obama immigration reform with open hearts, minds

Daniel Tilson: 2015 Florida Legislature begins preparing for more of the same

Daniel Tilson: Running campaigns ‘by the numbers’ doesn’t add up for Florida Democrats

Daniel Tilson: Florida Democratic Party should own campaign finance reform

Daniel Tilson: Why do Democrats keep failing in Florida?

Daniel Tilson: Ag Commissioner race is more important than most voters realize

Daniel Tilson: Restoring some balance of power in Florida Election 2014

Daniel Tilson: Middle class can’t afford to stick with Florida’s Republican economy

Daniel Tilson: Winning over Florida’s No Party Affiliation voters