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

Mitch PerryNovember 29, 2016

Last year, the city of Tampa joined Orlando, Miami, Key West and St. Petersburg as the only municipalities in Florida with Citizens Review Boards to police actions and policies. According to a South Florida House Democrat, that’s not nearly comprehensive enough to keep a watchful eye on deadly interactions between the police and the public. And […]

Mitch PerryNovember 29, 2016

The first regularly scheduled flight in more than 50 years flew from Miami to Havana yesterday morning, just in time to begin the formal mourning for Fidel Castro, which leads to the question du jour — What will Donald Trump do with the Cuba-U.S. relations? The President-elect tweeted that “If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2016

Two weeks ago, Republican Jack Latvala posted a statement on his Facebook page blasting Tampa Bay Buccaneer wide receiver Mike Evans for choosing to sit on the bench during the playing of the national anthem. A day later, after being barraged with a firestorm of criticism, Evans said he would no longer do so. Now, the Clearwater state Senator […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2016

Democratic Leader Janet Cruz is generally supportive of the ambitious new rules proposed by House Speaker Richard Corcoran that were unanimously approved by the entire Florida House last week. The changes are largely aimed at creating additional budget transparency and reducing the influence that lobbyists have on the political process in Tallahassee. But she and other Democrats did draw the line […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2016

Did President Obama’s latest executive actions regarding Cuba policy in October incite hardline exiles to vote for Donald Trump in large enough numbers to help him win Florida? That belief was pushed by some in the immediate days after the election, and is getting more life from a Hillary Clinton supporter who knows the Cuban exile community very well in the wake of Fidel […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2016

For the first time time since September of 2011, the University of South Florida’s football program is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. This comes after the Bulls defeated cross I-4 rival UCF at Raymond James Stadium. They’re tied at 24, and have finished their regular season at 10-2, their most impressive record since […]

Mitch PerryNovember 26, 2016

There was no harsher a critic of the Fidel Castro regime in Cuba than Ralph Fernandez. Yet the Tampa attorney who represented several former political prisoners in Cuba over the past several decades says that nobody ever challenged the U.S. government as the longtime Cuban leader, who died Friday at the age of 90. “The guy stood up to […]

Mitch PerryNovember 25, 2016

With the increase in online shopping, manufactured shopping holidays like Black Friday have been losing its luster in recent years. However, there’s still Small Business Saturday to lure shoppers out of their homes. “We want to encourage people to go out of their ways to support these businesses,” said U.S. Representative Kathy Castor earlier this week. “They are the […]

Mitch PerryNovember 23, 2016

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Donald Trump made it official earlier this week: The Trans-Pacific Partnership is DOA in his upcoming administration. “On trade, I am going to issue a notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country,” Trump said on Monday in a brief video outlying his first 100 days that was […]

Mitch PerryNovember 23, 2016

In January of 2013, DNC and Florida State Committeeman Alan Clendenin lost out to Allison Tant in an intensely fought contest to lead the Florida Democratic Party. When Tant announced two weeks ago that she would not run again for party chair in 2017, a bevy of names were floated as possible candidates to succeed her. One […]

Mitch Perry

Florida House Democrat Barbara Watson proposes statewide commission to review police shootings

Mitch Perry Report for 11.29.16 — Will President Trump ‘terminate’ Obama deal with Cuba?

Jack Latvala still upset about NFL players sitting during national anthem

Janet Cruz OK with new House rules, but shot down one proposal

Ralph Fernandez convinced Obama policy on Cuba a major factor in Florida going red

Mitch Perry Report for 11.28.16 -While USF football soars, attendance doesn’t

In Tampa, agreement that Fidel Castro was one of a kind

Kathy Castor to celebrate Small Business Saturday in Seminole Heights

Bob Buckhorn disappointed that TPP is dead

Alan Clendenin says he’s undecided on whether to run for Florida Democratic Party Chair