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

Mitch PerryOctober 25, 2017

A day after Rick Baker‘s political committee aired a new ad criticizing Rick Kriseman‘s character and judgment for hiring Kevin King as his chief of staff, the mayor weighed in, calling it “sad” that his opponent is choosing to focus on his top aide. “It’s always sad when you see ads that are personal,” Kriseman […]

Mitch PerryOctober 25, 2017

Florida Republicans smirked when the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee placed Vern Buchanan second on its “2018 Republican Retirement Watchlist.” They were equally amused when the DCCC listed the Sarasota Republican’s 16th Congressional District as one of 79 around the nation for targeting next year. Whether they’ll still be delighted a year from now is unclear, but […]

Mitch PerryOctober 25, 2017

With the midterm elections thirteen months away, some Florida Democrats are worried about the lack of a bold name candidate running for one of the most high-profile positions in state government. That’s led some party leaders to reach out to Tampa’s Sean Shaw about a bid for Attorney General. For his part, Shaw did not dismiss the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 24, 2017

In the history of St. Petersburg, C. Bette Wimbish was a true trailblazer. As the first black person to hold elected office in the Tampa Bay region, Wimbish was also the first black female lawyer in Pinellas County AND the first black resident to serve on the St. Petersburg City Council. This weekend, both the city and the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 24, 2017

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Rick Baker is going there. With less than two weeks before Election Day in St. Petersburg’s mayoral race, the former mayor — behind in the public polls for the first time in the campaign — is airing a decidedly negative TV ad questioning the judgment of incumbent Rick Kriseman over his chief aide’s criminal past. “Sunshine” […]

Mitch PerryOctober 24, 2017

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Former Raymond James Board Chair and CEO Tom James, Equality Florida’s Nadine Smith and two Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer players are featured in a two-minute, forty-second video intended to woo Amazon to the Tampa Bay-area for its second headquarters. Dozens of cities across the country had a Thursday deadline to submit their bid to land the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

Interim Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan admits that, at least publicly, his department doesn’t have much of a clue who shot and killed three people within a mile and a half of each other in Southeast Seminole Heights over the past two weeks. “We don’t know who this person is. That’s the reality,” the chief […]

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

Former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner, leader of Our Revolution — the political group founded by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — will be returning to the Tampa Bay-area next month for appearances in St. Petersburg and Tampa. Turner will be in town Saturday, Nov. 4, to speak at the Unitarian Universalist Church (100 Mirror Lake Dr. N) in […]

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

While the media focuses on Steve Bannon‘s intent to blow up the Republican Party, there also is a definite discord within the Democratic Party. Last week in Las Vegas, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez removed several party officials from central party committees who backed Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison’s chairmanship bid. In February, Perez defeated Ellison as […]

Mitch PerryOctober 23, 2017

Advocates supporting issuing civil citations to youth instead of arrests hailed a report issued Monday showing there were 3,000 fewer arrests for “common youth” misbehavior in 2016. And while approximately one-quarter of those arrests came from just three counties — Orange, Hillsborough and Duval — all three have seen a leadership change that could diminish […]

Mitch Perry

Rick Kriseman calls Kevin King ad ‘sad’

David Shapiro hopes to unify D.C., but must first oust Vern Buchanan

Sean Shaw for Attorney General?

City to honor C. Bette Wimbish, St. Pete’s first black City Council member

Rick Baker goes nuclear against Rick Kriseman, plays Kevin King card

Tampa Bay’s Amazon pitch features LGBT leader Nadine Smith, Rowdies players

‘Everyone is a suspect’ in Seminole Heights killings, Tampa Police Chief says

Our Revolution’s Nina Turner returns to Tampa Bay-area next month

Tim Canova vows progressives will push back on status quo at Orlando Democratic event

‘Bad Boys’ no more: Juvenile arrests decrease, report says