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

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2018

The man who hoped to lead the Republican Party of Florida a year ago now is setting his sights on becoming a Sarasota County Commissioner. Christian Ziegler filed Monday to run for the Sarasota County Seat 2, hours after the incumbent, Paul Caragiulo, announced he would not be running again in 2018. “Why I’m running? Simple — […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 22, 2018

A contentious bill that would expand the state’s school voucher system to allow children who are bullied to use tax dollars to pay private school tuition was approved by a Senate committee Monday. Senate President-designate Bill Galvano’s bill (SB 1172) would establish the Hope Scholarship Program to provide the parent of a public school student subjected […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 22, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-01-22-at-12.13.29-PM.png

Marco Rubio believes an agreement in Congress to protect approximately 780,000 undocumented immigrants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program can and should happen. But Florida’s junior U.S. Senator also warns that such a deal shouldn’t be the product of a “gang” of senators as it was with the group he was a part of […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 22, 2018

There’s now “a path forward to help the DREAMers,” Bill Nelson declared after joining 32 of his Democratic colleagues Monday in advancing a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8. “This is a win for bipartisanship and common-sense,” Florida’s Democratic senator said after voting. “I have been meeting with a group of moderate senators for days […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 22, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial nominees Philip Levine and Chris King spoke before their largest audiences to date in the Tampa Bay region on Sunday at the Women’s March in downtown St. Petersburg. Several thousand people crammed into Williams Park for the rally, which, in an unusual twist, Levine co-sponsored. “The opportunity came up and we believe in women’s […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 21, 2018

Kay Akins is still “pissed off” about Donald Trump‘s election more than a year ago. “It gets worse every day.” The Naperville, Illinois resident joined thousands of protesters Sunday in what felt like a seismic level of antipathy for the President of the United States, felt in both St. Petersburg and many parts of the country. A […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 21, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-01-20-at-4.33.29-PM.png

Washington’s blame game began just a few hours after the federal government officially shut down. The National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) is targeting Sen. Bill Nelson with an online Facebook ad condemning Democrats for the failure to come together on a Continuing Resolution to keep the government running. The ad focuses on how the shutdown threatens […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 20, 2018

The Florida Commission on Ethics decided Friday to give Hillsborough County Commission Ken Hagan the opportunity to amend a petition requesting that activist George Niemann pay his legal fees. The decision came after a commission attorney advocated that Hagan’s petition be dismissed. The county paid Hagan’s attorney, Mark Levine, $7,841 last year to defend the District 5 commissioner […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 19, 2018

With Congress potentially just hours away from a government shutdown in part because of a dispute over whether to include a plan to deal with those affected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, a group of Florida Democrats slammed Gov. Rick Scott Friday for what they called his hypocrisy regarding DACA recipients, also […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 19, 2018

A transportation plan for the Tampa Bay area that would use bus rapid transit (BRT) and not rail to move riders from Wesley Chapel in Pasco County to downtown St. Petersburg was introduced to the public Friday. Called a “catalyst” project because of the hopes that it would jumpstart transit planning in the region, the […]

Mitch Perry
Lake Mary’s team celebrates in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. Image via AP.

Christian Ziegler files to run for Sarasota County Commission

Legislation: Bullied kids could transfer to private school

Marco Rubio says any plan on DACA can’t be a product of a ‘gang’

Bill Nelson touts bipartisanship in voting to end government shutdown

Phil Levine says his business background ‘scares’ GOP

Thousands gather in St. Petersburg for Women’s March

National Republicans attacking Bill Nelson over government shutdown

Ethics commission delays Ken Hagan’s legal fee case

Florida Democrats blast Rick Scott op-ed supporting Dreamers

Rapid transit plan – Wesley Chapel to St. Pete – gets unveiled