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

Joe HendersonOctober 9, 2018

When you see Governor Rick Scott put on the Navy ballcap, stuff’s about to get real. It has become his trademark look when taking the lead role as warner-in-chief during past Florida hurricanes, and we can expect more of the same in the coming days as Hurricane Michael takes aim on the Panhandle. With this […]

Joe HendersonOctober 8, 2018

Um, Matt Gaetz? It wasn’t funny. It wasn’t clever. I’d say the Republican congressman from the state panhandle ought to be ashamed of himself, but he is a politician, and every time anyone thinks there is a line that can’t be crossed, it gets obliterated. This was one was especially tasteless, though, referring to Tallahassee […]

Joe HendersonOctober 5, 2018

Can it really be a year ago that Harvey Weinstein was exposed as a scumbag and #MeToo became the hashtag to live by? Titans toppled, old scores settled, secrets exposed. While here in Florida … um, what? Political careers ruined (see Latvala, Jack). SB 1628 from Democratic Sen. Lauren Book, tried to create the “Task […]

Joe HendersonOctober 4, 2018

Florida remains divided on many political issues, but there seems to be strong bipartisan agreement about the issue of restoring voting rights for convicted felons, formally known as Amendment 4. As Florida Politics reported, a recent poll showed 74 percent support for the constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would strike down voting […]

Joe HendersonOctober 3, 2018

Let us sum up the essence of the Florida U.S. Senate debate Tuesday between Bill Nelson and Rick Scott for the seat Nelson currently holds: Blah, blah, and furthermore, blah. Nelson believes Scott is a lying slimeball whose policies have savaged public education, health care, and the environment. We already knew that. Scott believes Nelson […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 28, 2018

Politics is all about winning, and nowhere is that truer than the all-out war to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. That is why I am trying to find a winner after one of the most exhausting and extraordinary days anyone has experienced. I. Just. Can’t. Christine Blasey Ford was brave, believable, sympathetic, and […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 27, 2018

As we enter the home stretch before the midterms, for pure bare-knuckles entertainment value it is hard to find a snarkier race in the state than the one to represent Florida’s 16th Congressional District. It’s getting tough to keep the charges and countercharges straight between Republican incumbent Vern Buchanan and Democratic challenger David Shapiro straight, […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 26, 2018

I didn’t need U.S. Census data to tell me that Hillsborough County traffic has gotten much worse in the last five years because, well, I live here, and I can confirm it stinks. Anecdotally, if you want to know how bad it is, just drive along State Road 60 in Brandon by the mall on […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 25, 2018

We take a momentary pause from political campaigns, but not necessarily from politics, to pay proper homage to Tony Dungy and the impact he has had on Tampa and beyond. He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Ring of Honor Monday night at Raymond James Stadium, and no one deserved it more. The Ring is symbolic […]

Joe HendersonSeptember 24, 2018

First, I want to compliment Republican voters in Miami-Dade’s CD 27 for their excellent judgment in the August primary. Out of nine candidates seeking the GOP nomination, Gina Sosa finished, um, ninth. I’m still slightly puzzled why 760 voters (out of 39,104 votes cast) thought she would make an excellent representative in Washington, but I […]

Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson: With Hurricane Michael bearing down, state leaders must excel

Joe Henderson: Matt Gaetz ‘kill-’em’ remark straight out of middle school

Joe Henderson: Florida can’t let #MeToo become yesterday’s news

Joe Henderson: Polls show strong voter support for Amendment 4

Joe Henderson: Winner in Florida U.S. Senate debate? Status quo in runaway

Joe Henderson: Who ‘won’ the SCOTUS hearing? Nobody

No lack of mud in the nasty race for CD 16

Joe Henderson: Hillsborough County traffic gets worse, but we knew that

Joe Henderson: What if all politicians were like Tony Dungy?

Joe Henderson: Gina Sosa’s pathetic partisanship can’t be excused