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

Guest AuthorMarch 4, 2016

There are people who I am thankful for in the trajectory of my “success” in life, especially my family and my elementary school librarian, Mrs. Walker. I was Mrs. Walker’s student assistant in third and fourth grades. I ran errands and alphabetized the checkout cards. But mostly I read books. And she encouraged me to […]

Guest AuthorMarch 1, 2016

The organizing principle of my public service is Constitutional liberty. If government constrains itself to the Constitution, free markets, free enterprise and free people can thrive. Otherwise, we get catastrophic consequences like Obamacare, lawless executive orders and a government that (often corruptly) picks winners and losers. In a world of uncertainty, the Second Amendment to […]

Guest AuthorMarch 1, 2016

The most repeated phrase of late on social media and on talking-head shows is, “This election is unlike anything ever before!” Each time I hear it I have to chuckle. Is it just a sign of our times that we think ourselves so special that everything we do has to be the biggest or […]

Guest AuthorMarch 1, 2016

State Sen. Greg Evers is being mentioned in Tallahassee as a possible candidate for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture in 2018. Adam Putnam, the current commissioner, is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for Governor in two years, and no one appears to a favorite to replace him. Evers grew up on his family farm. His […]

Guest AuthorMarch 1, 2016

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There is a reason Marco Rubio is acting like Donald Trump. Math. If you believe averages of Real Clear Politics (RCP), with 306,619 GOP mail votes cast, Trump, polling at 40.3 percent, is dominating Rubio, polling at 20.8 percent, at 123,566 to 63,776 mail votes. Let’s assume turnout pops and 2,000,000 Republicans vote in the […]

Guest AuthorMarch 1, 2016

When I gave the Theatre UCF students 30 days to teach me how to perform a karaoke song, I didn’t realize I was also handing over my dignity. In retrospect, it was a ridiculous idea, but I have no one to blame except myself. I thought it would make a neat publicity project for the […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 29, 2016

Gambling interests have lined up in the State Capital, lobbying for their long-held dream of remaking Florida in the image of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. As the Florida Legislature considers their requests for more and bigger casinos, I would caution the following: Not so fast. Any action the Legislature may take to expand gambling […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 28, 2016

The GOP candidates are now sprinting to Super Tuesday. Donald Trump has the momentum from victories in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. However, this is a big contest and no primary should be taken for granted. Trump also has the advantage of holding good polling numbers going into Tuesday’s elections. The Super Tuesday voting […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 26, 2016

Marco Rubio poses as a national security expert. Perhaps among the Republican contenders, he’s the closest thing they’ve got. In which case, God help us all. A Washington Post story over the weekend indicates that Rubio’s interest in national security was just a pose from the beginning. As a rising star in the Florida House, […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 26, 2016

A team of scholars from Stanford, Harvard, and the University of Munich recently made a startling discovery: Florida delivers better bang-for-buck in K-12 education than any other state in the nation. And it isn’t even close. This finding is apt to surprise many Floridians who’ve grown accustomed to hearing our state’s education establishment claim that […]

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Image via Ron Desantis X account

Yolanda Hood: We all have the right to read what we want

Matt Gaetz: Senate should let debate begin on open carry

Ed Moore: Is this an election unlike any seen before?

Rick Outzen: Greg Evers for Ag. Commissioner?

Kevin Cate: How Marco Rubio could win Florida with Donald Trump at 40 percent

Heather Gibson: I have newfound respect for what performers do before stepping on stage

John Sowinski: Gambling proposals may violate Florida Constitution

Tim Bryce: What to expect from the GOP on Super Tuesday

Jac VerSteeg: Marco Rubio is a national security shirker

William Mattox: Bang-for-buck study should inform Florida’s per-pupil spending debate