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

Melissa RossFebruary 19, 2015

Term limits mean nine Jacksonville City Council seats are up for grabs in the city’s unitary election March 24. A powerful group of local women is working to make sure women win as many of those elections as possible. The movement is called “9 in 15,” referencing the number of open seats in play this […]

Melissa RossFebruary 19, 2015

Term limits mean nine Jacksonville City Council seats are up for grabs in the city’s unitary election March 24. A powerful group of local women is working to make sure women win as many of those elections as possible. The movement is called “9 in 15,” referencing the number of open seats in play this […]

Melissa RossFebruary 17, 2015

A spokesman for the Alvin Brown campaign refused to confirm a “Playbook” report from POLITICO’s Marc Caputo that former President Bill Clinton was scheduled to appear this week at a rally supporting the Jacksonville mayor’s re-election bid. “I have nothing for you at this time,” said Brown deputy campaign manager Fabien Levy. Other operatives for […]

Melissa RossFebruary 13, 2015

Just months after failing to pass a ballot amendment, advocates of legalizing medical marijuana in Florida are regrouping to try again. A new bill was filed Tuesday in the Florida House that wouldn’t allow smokable medical marijuana. At the same time, Republican State Sen. Jeff Brandes of St. Petersburg is behind a measure that would […]

Melissa RossFebruary 11, 2015

With plenty of trash talking and an uncanny ability to zero in on their subjects’ idiosyncracies, the satirical Twitter pages mocking the three men running for Jacksonville mayor have become an entertaining sideshow in the closely watched contest. Of course, anonymously written parody accounts have become a Twitter staple, sending up everything from Pharell’s choice […]

Melissa RossFebruary 7, 2015

On the heels of Lenny Curry’s announcement that he’s passed the $2 million mark in campaign contributions, Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown is announcing he’s edging very close to the same figure. Brown Deputy Campaign Manager Fabien Levy says the mayor’s re-elect effort has now raised a total of $1,903,370. January donations directly to Brown’s campaign […]

Melissa RossFebruary 4, 2015

Dark horse mayoral candidate Bill Bishop is banking on an underdog appeal and policy wonk specificity as he mounts an insurgent’s challenge to incumbent Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown and extremely well-funded GOP establishment favorite Lenny Curry. Bishop, an architect and former president of the Jacksonville City Council, has peeled off a few GOP endorsements in recent days, and says he has a strategy to […]

Melissa RossFebruary 3, 2015

Jacksonville’s GOP mayoral candidates will vie for votes Saturday at the First Coast Tea Party Hob Nob and straw poll. The Republican event will be moderated by outgoing Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland, who astute readers might recall, had a few headaches overseeing another recent party affair that ended ugly, but with former GOP […]

Melissa RossFebruary 3, 2015

Jacksonville’s GOP mayoral candidates will vie for votes Saturday at the First Coast Tea Party Hob Nob and straw poll. The Republican event will be moderated by outgoing Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland, who astute readers might recall, had a few headaches overseeing another recent party affair that ended ugly, but with former GOP […]

Melissa RossJanuary 29, 2015

Jacksonville mayoral candidate Lenny Curry has some bayou bigwigs working on his campaign to oust Alvin Brown, with staff who worked on the Bill Cassidy senatorial campaign. That team beat longtime Louisiana Democrat Mary Landrieu. Turns out there may be some desire for payback, as Brown adviser Dave Beattie has just announced that former Landrieu […]

Melissa Ross

"9 in 15" movement pushing to get more women elected in Jacksonville

“9 in 15” movement pushing to get more women elected in Jacksonville

Will Bill Clinton campaign for Alvin Brown in Jacksonville?

South Florida company says its success in Washington proves marijuana-use law can work here

Fake Twitter accounts poking fun at Jax mayoral candidates fly in 140 characters

Alvin Brown now at $1.9 million in campaign contributions

Plainspoken underdog Bill Bishop takes shot at Alvin Brown, Lenny Curry

Alvin Brown spox: "You're going to see him everywhere"

Alvin Brown spox: “You’re going to see him everywhere”

Cajun competition in Jacksonville Mayor's race as Alvin Brown names new communications director