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

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

John Dingfelder, who served on the Tampa City Council from 2003-2010, wants back in; he filed Friday as a candidate for the citywide District 3 race. The seat is currently held by Council Chair Yolie Capin, who is term-limited in 2019. The news is no surprise, as Dingfelder told Florida Politics last summer that he […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

In all, it wasn’t much of a “debate.” Attorney General candidate Jay Fant went ahead with his Facebook Live “Second Amendment debate” Thursday night — all by himself. His opponent, Ashley Moody, who refused to take part, wasn’t very impressed. Fant and Moody are two of four Republican candidates running for the Party nomination for AG (with […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

In 2003, Florida lawmakers prohibited municipalities from setting wage rates. According to a new Public Policy Polling survey released Thursday, over two-thirds of Floridians disagree with the law — and that the state should not restrict local governments from establishing their own minimum wages. In 2016, Miami Beach challenged state law when its City Commission approved […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

Former Florida Democratic Party president Sally Boynton Brown is in Tampa Thursday night to lead a “progressive message trailing” session. Some Hillsborough Democrats aren’t happy about Brown coming to town. The former executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party was hired in April 2017 by then-FDP chair Stephen Bittel to replace longtime President Scott Arceneaux. But Boynton Brown’s tenure […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

Palm Harbor resident Leo Karruli has entered the race for state Senate District 16, the seat recently vacated by embattled Sen. Jack Latvala. Karruli, 50, owns Leo’s Italian Grill on U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor. He is a Queens, New York native who moved to Pinellas County in 1991. In a brief phone interview with Florida Politics, Karruli said […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

With the Georgia Legislature considering blocking a tax break for Delta Air Lines, former Miami Beach Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is the latest Democrat outside the Peach State to ask the carrier to come to Florida. The solicitations to Delta Air Lines CEO Edward H. Bastian have been flowing since the Georgia Senate threatened a […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

With the horrific Broward County school shooting fresh on their minds, hundreds of King High School students in Tampa registered (or pre-registered) to vote Wednesday for the upcoming midterm elections. Twice a year, Hillsborough Elections Supervisor Craig Latimer takes staff members to every high school in the county to register students 18 years old or older, as […]

Mitch PerryMarch 1, 2018

Tarpon Springs Republican Gus Bilirakis is facing heat over a five-year-old vote against the Violence Against Women’s Act. Since 1994, Congress has taken every opportunity to reauthorize the Act, which provides protections for victims of domestic violence. However, in 2013, several congressional Republicans pushed back hard against reauthorization — a group that included Bilirakis. The legislation funds rape […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 28, 2018

Fresh off a Cuban visit last week, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor is calling on Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to return consular officials and diplomatic personnel to the U.S. Embassy in Havana as soon as possible. Tillerson withdrew 60 percent of diplomats from the embassy in Havana last fall after unexplained attacks harmed at least […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 28, 2018

Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri wants to clear the air. Yes, he testified in Tallahassee before the House Appropriations Committee in support of the Marshal plan, a controversial proposal that calls for arming teachers in schools (if approved by district superintendents or school boards). However, the Gualtieri admitted Tuesday that he doesn’t advocate arming schoolteachers, but […]

Mitch Perry
Courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort

John Dingfelder first to file for City Council District 3 race

Ashley Moody says ‘meh’ to Jay Fant’s one-man ‘debate’

Survey shows Floridians want municipalities to be able to raise minimum wage

Sally Boynton Brown visits Tampa, miffing some Democrats

Restaurateur Leo Karruli files to run for Jack Latvala’s Senate seat

Philip Levine calls on Delta to relocate HQ to Florida

Guns on the minds of Tampa high schoolers registering to vote

Gus Bilirakis defends 2013 opposition to Violence Against Women’s Act

Kathy Castor urges Rex Tillerson to restore U.S. diplomats to Cuba

Bob Gualtieri wants guns on school campuses — but not for teachers