Drew Wilson, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonNovember 19, 2018

Based on median earnings estimates, The Advocacy Group at Cardenas Partners (TAG) was just shy of collecting $1 million in lobbying fees for the reporting period covering July through September. The five-member lobby corps showed a nearly even split between legislative and executive lobbying receipts — $470,000 of the Q3 cash was marked down on […]

Drew WilsonNovember 16, 2018

Anyone living above ground for the past decade knows health care costs are rising at a rapid pace, but that trend could be reversed by intertwining telemedicine with widespread broadband access, according to a panel of experts at Florida Internet & Television’s FITCon 2018. Tampa state Rep. James Grant was joined on the panel by mental […]

Drew WilsonNovember 16, 2018

The cable industry was once a titan of video, and while millions of customers still have coaxials screwed into the back of their sets, the business is rapidly shifting toward one focused on broadband internet and the myriad opportunities it brings, from self-driving cars to connected communities. State Rep. Jason Fischer, Rick Cimerman of the […]

Drew WilsonNovember 15, 2018

State Rep. Randy Fine has worked with his share of tech companies that more often than not had to look outside the Sunshine State to get off the ground. Before he was elected to the Florida House in 2016, Fine started companies such as The Fine Point Group, which consults and provides analytics to businesses […]

Drew WilsonNovember 15, 2018

The cable industry is moving in the right direction when it comes to engaging women and minorities in content and employment, but there’s more work to make the industry even more equitable. Florida Internet & Television’s FITCon 2018 kicked off Thursday with a with a panel chaired by state Rep. Mike La Rosa that brought a […]

Drew WilsonNovember 14, 2018

Medical marijuana company Surterra Wellness has announced it is pitching in $50,000 toward Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in the Florida Panhandle. The company said the contribution would be split up among several groups leading the charge in rebuilding the communities hardest hit by the Category 4 storm that slammed Northwest Florida a month ago. Among […]

Drew WilsonNovember 9, 2018

Centerplate has been the Orange County Convention Center’s exclusive food-service provider for a decade and based on its performance the Orange County Commission voted in favor of keeping the company around for another decade-plus. After a lengthy bidding process that saw Centerplate go up against a consortium of food-service companies including one-time contract holder Levy […]

Drew WilsonNovember 8, 2018

The leading medical marijuana distributor in the Sunshine State is setting up shop in California and Massachusetts by way of a couple major acquisitions: Leef Industries and Life Essence. Trulieve announced on Thursday that it had entered into agreements to acquire 100 percent of both companies. Before they are official, the purchases must receive regulatory […]

Drew WilsonNovember 8, 2018

Most Florida Democrats woke up consumed by what went wrong on Election Day. Another nil for five performance in statewide races, and a one for six performance in the state Senate, assuming current margins hold. But Ruth’s List Florida was more than a little cheery with an email celebrating its “historic victories” on Tuesday. Their […]

Drew WilsonNovember 8, 2018

How the mighty have fallen. Pete Nehr, something of a big deal a decade ago, started his political career on the Tarpon Springs City Commission in the early aughts, before breaking into state-level politics with a 2-point win over former Democratic Rep. Carl Zimmerman in 2006. The Tarpon Springs Republican successfully defended that seat a […]

Drew Wilson
Images via Florida Politics.

The Advocacy Group earns $945K in Q3 lobbying pay

FITCon 2018: Telemedicine could make health care ‘better, faster and cheaper’

FITCon 2018: Cable could be the key for ‘connected communities’

FITCon 2018: If Florida wants tech, it needs talent

FITCon 2018: Cable industry making strides in diversity, inclusion

Surterra Wellness chips in for Hurricane Michael recovery

Orange County Convention Center re-ups deal with Centerplate

Trulieve expanding national MMJ footprint with pair of acquisitions

Ruth’s List Florida dubs run-of-the-mill results “historic victories”

Epilogue: Pete Nehr’s stock manages to sink further