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

Joe HendersonFebruary 12, 2018

The long-awaited announcement last Friday that the Tampa Bay Rays have chosen Tampa’s historic Ybor City as the place they’d prefer for a new stadium brought the inevitable question of how much the public should pay for the massive project. I have an idea: How about nothing? I am not against professional sports. I love […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 9, 2018

As she prepares to leave the Hillsborough County School Board after 12 often-tumultuous years when her term expires in November, April Griffin deserves to be remembered as one of the most impactful public servants ever in Hillsborough County. That’s a bold statement, yes. I stand by it though because it is true whether you liked […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 8, 2018

If that was Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ idea of a joke, we can safely say he is no threat to take over for Jimmy Fallon as a late-night comedy star. Sessions was widely mocked for suggesting Wednesday in Tampa that people in need of pain relief might want to “switch to aspirin” instead of using […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 7, 2018

As much as I’m anticipating the Great Debate next Tuesday between House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Tallahassee Mayor (and gubernatorial candidate) Andrew Gillum, there is another showdown I would like to see more. A faceoff between Corcoran and Florida Education Association president Joanne McCall could be one of the great confrontations in state political history. I’m serious. […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 6, 2018

Adam Putnam may well be Florida’s next Governor, that is unless voters decide his latest idea is straight out of looneyville and start asking serious questions about who he really is. The latest ploy by this self-styled “proud NRA sellout” (his words) would be funny if it wasn’t so reckless. He championed a provision in […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 5, 2018

The irony of the Legislature even considering a pair of bills requiring happy couples to read a yet-to-be-written Guide to a Healthy Marriage before they can wed is … is … (looking for the right word here) … laughable. Unless the guide is titled “Do As We Say, Not As We Do” can these people […]

Joe HendersonFebruary 1, 2018

If you have several hours, or days, with nothing to do, you might want to plow into HB 7055, the ever-expanding education bill that is steamrolling through the Florida House. This is the latest Republican move to reform – Democrats would say ruin – public education in Florida. It is 198 pages of legalese, the […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 31, 2018

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Your opinion of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union speech probably hinges on whether you like him or not. This isn’t about that. It’s about something much more basic — the chance to change the narrative about his presidency. He had an opportunity to make a splash about what’s happening with Puerto Rico, and […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 30, 2018

Man, that Richard Corcoran TV ad sure is scary. It shows a sinister-looking Latino man, wearing a hoodie (because all bad people wear hoodies), passing a happy, smiling woman on the street in broad daylight. He pulls a gun for no reason and fires. The terrified woman is killed, and the message is clear: We […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 29, 2018

I loved the profile by Alex Leary in Sunday’s Tampa Bay Times about Republican commentator and thorny bush Rick Wilson, whose daily Twitter rampages against President Donald Trump have made him a must-follow. A lot of people must agree with that last statement. Wilson’s Twitter feed has 296,000 followers. He is personal, fearless, on point, […]

Joe Henderson
Lake County breaks another record development deal. Image via GT Homes.

Joe Henderson: Public’s bill for Tampa Bay Rays stadium? How about zero?

Joe Henderson: April Griffin’s impact on Hillsborough schools has been immense

Joe Henderson: Jeff Sessions’ joke was lame but issue is not

Joe Henderson: A more important debate for Richard Corcoran to have

Joe Henderson: Adam Putnam gun proposal rates “A” — for awful

Joe Henderson: Lawmakers want to guide us to healthy marriage? No thanks

Joe Henderson: GOP at it again with HB 7055

Joe Henderson: Donald Trump’s missed opportunity in State of the Union

Joe Henderson: Richard Corcoran TV ad is indecent

Joe Henderson: Rick Wilson is shrill, tough, profane — and needed