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

Jacob OglesNovember 8, 2018

Governor-elect Ron DeSantis and U.S. Rep. Brian Mast expressed frustration over a land lease with potential to delay construction of a reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee. The South Florida Water Management District this morning will consider amending a land lease and executing a new agreement with New Hope Sugar Company on property in Palm Beach […]

Jacob OglesNovember 8, 2018

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With Broward County vote tabulations still flowing in and the vote margin shrinking in Florida’s U.S. Senate race, incumbent Bill Nelson signaled he’s not done fighting his seat despite Republican Rick Scott’s lead in tallies to date. “We’re doing this not just because it’s automatic, but we’re doing it to win,” said Marc Elias, an […]

Jacob OglesNovember 8, 2018

In the early days of 2018, Democrats held serious optimism about their Congressional chances in Florida, and that included weighty dreams of a blue wave striking Sarasota. It had been 12 years since U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan squeaked into office with a razor-thin, 369-vote margin and some officials never stopped dreaming of vengeance. Perhaps this […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

Collier County voters approved a first-ever sales tax by a margin this enough to strike a spark from a penny. The One Collier tax referendum passed with just 51 percent of the vote Tuesday, in the face of opposition from the local Republican Party. With all precincts reporting, 73,090 voters ultimately cast yes votes for […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

Sarah Fortney, an incoming Polk County School Board member, will become Florida’s first openly lesbian member of a Florida school district. Joe Saunders of Equality Florida Action PAC celebrated Fortney’s win in a statement. “Sarah has made history as the first out lesbian elected to a School Board in the State of Florida,” said Saunders, one of […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

Democratic candidate for Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says she’s braced for a recount in Florida’s closest statewide election. On Tuesday night, Republican state Rep. Matt Caldwell came out ahead in the Cabinet position race, but on Wednesday morning the race tightened to 4,008,205 votes for Caldwell to 3,995,684 for Fried. That’s a margin of 12,521 votes, or 0.16 percent. […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

Wilton Manors, a heavily gay community for years, has elected Florida’s first all-gay City Commission. Last night, voters elected openly gay Justin Flippen as mayor. Additionally, Gary Resnick and Paul Rolli came out on top in an at-large city commission race for two seats. They defeated incumbent Scott Newton, the only straight member of the […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

Republican state Rep. Matt Caldwell declared victory Tuesday night as he held a narrow advantage in the contest to succeed term-limited Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. Caldwell, a real estate appraiser from North Fort Myers, gave an acceptance speech from an election watch party, according to WGCU Public Media. As of Wednesday morning, Caldwell led Democrat […]

Jacob OglesNovember 7, 2018

History repeats: Another Tampa Bay-area prosecutor will be Florida’s Attorney General. Republican Ashley Moody, a former judge and prosecutor, came out ahead in the statewide race to be Florida’s chief legal officer. She defeated Democratic state Rep. Sean Shaw, also of Tampa. With 99.2 percent of precincts reporting statewide, Moody had more than 52 percent of […]

Jacob OglesNovember 6, 2018

State Rep. Margaret Good won her first full term in the Florida House on Tuesday after defeating Republican challenger Ray Pilon, but by a closer margin than expected. With all votes counted, Good led Pilon 51 percent-49 percent, or 41,278 votes to 40,134. The Sarasota Democrat made national headlines after her special election victory in […]

Jacob Ogles
Kathleen King and Joe Gruters. Image via Max Goodman.

Ron DeSantis, Brian Mast fight potential delay on Lake O reservoir

Bill Nelson recount attorney: ‘We’re doing it to win’

How Vern Buchanan sailed to victory in CD 16

Despite local GOP resistance, Collier County passes first-ever penny tax

Milestone: Sarah Fortney elected first openly gay School Board member in Florida

Agriculture Commissioner race: Nikki Fried readies for recount, hopes to catch Matt Caldwell

Wilton Manors elects all openly gay city commission

Matt Caldwell edges Nikki Fried in surprisingly competitive Ag. Commissioner race

Ashley Moody easily defeats Sean Shaw to become next Attorney General

Democrat Margaret Good holds onto District 72 seat