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

Daniel TilsonOctober 22, 2014

“So this state is on a roll.” That was Gov. Rick Scott’s deceptively simple summation, after rattling off the same old self-serving economic and employment numbers in his final debate against Charlie Crist. Scott’s incessant TV ads highlight the same misleading numbers, comparing job losses under former Gov. Crist, vs. gains under Scott. But neither […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 20, 2014

Anti-government, anti-Obama, anti-Democratic Party, hardcore conservative voters no doubt constitute a majority of the 4.1 million or so registered Republicans in Florida. But they’re a minority of the state electorate overall, representing maybe a third of 12 million registered voters statewide. Nonetheless, Democrats and independents who comprise the large majority of voters repeatedly let these […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 16, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott’s remarkable bid for re-election in 2014 likely got blown away Wednesday night. If you haven’t heard about “Fangate” and the stunning early minutes of Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate against Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, check out the video. Words alone cannot describe it. What’s remarkable is that a governor with a history of questionable […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 15, 2014

Imagine putting mainstream Floridians in charge of one of these 2014 Florida gubernatorial debates. Not the kind of pat-on-the-head we sometimes get from debate sponsors who include a few questions for the candidates from us average folks. I’m talking about a full hour of tough primetime TV questioning by an uncompromising panel that truly represents […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 12, 2014

To take the pulse of public sentiment about something or someone in Florida politics, I’d rather eavesdrop on strangers’ coffee shop conversations than pour over the latest polls. The anecdotal approach certainly has a higher margin of error, no doubt about it. It will never replace the statistical science of polling, nor should it. But […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 6, 2014

It’s too late to register to vote in Florida’s 2014 elections. The deadline was yesterday. Now it’s up to determined Democratic activists to actually get people to vote. Otherwise, we’re looking at four more years of unchecked conservative extremists putting our government at the service of wealthy private interests, rather than you and me. Likely […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 30, 2014

If you or folks you know are tuning out Florida’s 2014 midterm elections and don’t plan to vote, we need to talk. No worries, there’ll be no scolding. No finger wagging or whining about your civic duty. No repetition of the “If you don’t vote, don’t complain!” line. Far as I’m concerned, you never lose […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 24, 2014

Can Florida politics succeed where sports has failed? Can we get a grip on dangerous social reality, recognize the seriousness of the challenge, and take the right actions to meet it? When news first broke about Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s violent abuse of his fiancée, the NFL swept it under the artificial turf. […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 14, 2014

The failure of Gov. Rick Scott and Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Adam Putnam to develop and advance energy policies in the public’s best interests should give Floridians ample nonpartisan reason to vote them out of office. Within months of taking office in January 2011, Scott had eliminated the Energy and Climate Commission, turning its […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 9, 2014

I’ve taken an unofficial follow-up poll in Florida’s big Election 2014 Rick Scott-Charlie Crist race. As in 2010, it was a one-person poll done face-to-face with my sometimes car mechanic. Call him Bobby. Four years ago it was accidental, a pre-repair test drive conversation that touched on the upcoming gubernatorial election, with Chief Financial Officer […]

Daniel Tilson
Image via AP.

Daniel Tilson: Election 2014 and Florida’s ‘Steamroller Blues’ economy

Daniel Tilson: Florida needs its ‘unlikely voters’ to restore majority rule

Daniel Tilson: Charlie Crist’s electric fan short-circuits Rick Scott’s re-election plan

Daniel Tilson: Here is a sample of the Crist-Scott debate Floridians deserve

Daniel Tilson: What I learned eavesdropping on Scott-Crist coffee shop talk

Daniel Tilson: Questions Democrats should ask people who don’t plan to vote

Daniel Tilson: Here’s why you should vote in the Florida election on Nov. 4

Daniel Tilson: Ray Rice, Jameis Winston and Rick Scott: New normals?

Daniel Tilson: Energy failures from Adam Putnam and Rick Scott

Daniel Tilson: An unofficial Crist-Scott poll — my mechanic is leaning to the right