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

Mitch PerryFebruary 26, 2018

While Palm Harbor Republican Chris Sprowls is expected to glide to another two-year term in the Florida House this November, at least the Democratic Party has now put up a candidate to run against him. On Friday, Alex Stephen Toth, also of Palm Harbor, filed to run for the House District 65 seat. Sprowls, 34, […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 26, 2018

The Second Amendment has already surfaced as an issue in the Attorney General race, although a different perspective will likely emerge once Sean Shaw hits the campaign trail full-time. The Tampa Democrat hasn’t done much campaigning since he officially entered the contest last month, but, undoubtedly, he will transition into candidate-mode when the Legislative Session […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 25, 2018

Bill Nelson is responding to criticism offered by Rick Scott that the Democrat has done “nothing” when it comes to gun safety. “I have voted for and sponsored every major piece of legislation, including the comprehensive background checks, as well as getting the assault rifles off the streets,” Nelson told reporters Sunday following a church service […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 24, 2018

Chanting “we want change now,” hundreds of Blake High School students marched to Curtis Hixon Park Friday afternoon, calling for gun-control measures in the wake of the massacre in Parkland last week. The crowd was stacked with mostly students, joined by other Tampa Bay area activists determined to perhaps finally see gun regulations enacted following […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 24, 2018

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With teenagers directly impacted by last week’s massacre in Parkland calling for politicians to stop accepting support funds from the NRA, three activist groups announced this week that they will spend $1 million nationally on registering eligible high-school students to vote in the 2018 midterms, with an emphasis on Florida and California. NextGen America, Giffords: […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 23, 2018

The Florida Education Association hasn’t often championed Gov. Rick Scott‘s education proposals, but it is applauding his $500 million plan to address school safety that he announced Friday in Tallahassee. The suite of proposals most notably does not include arming schoolteachers, an idea that President Donald Trump and other Florida Republican lawmakers have proposed in […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 23, 2018

In the aftermath of the shooting massacre in Parkland last week, Florida Democrats (and some Republicans) have talked about reducing the ability for some individuals to acquire firearms. Meanwhile, state Rep. Ross Spano, a candidate for Attorney General, is going in the opposite direction. Spano and Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd released their own sets of proposals Friday to […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 23, 2018

David Jolly says he’s not sure that a ban on assault weapons is possible in Washington, but believes a solution that could happen immediately is to make them “functionally obsolete” for the average citizen. “Make the requirements to get an assault weapon as hard as it is to get a security clearance in this White […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 23, 2018

During his freshman year in the Florida Senate, Democrat Jeremy Ring led the fight to make Florida the first state in the nation to pass a bill to divest from Iran. Under that legislation, $1 billion in state pension funds was screened for holdings in companies doing business with or investing in Iran’s oil sector. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2018

At one time, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn “vowed” to appeal the federal jury verdict for firefighter Tanja Vidovic, winning her case of claiming that the city discriminated against her because she was pregnant and fired her in retaliation for complaining about it. But the mayor’s office is now saying Buckhorn, in fact, has not decided whether to […]

Mitch Perry
Image via AP.

Chris Sprowls gets Democratic opponent in HD 65 race

Sean Shaw: Second Amendment silent on assault weapons

Bill Nelson dismisses Rick Scott charge he’s done ‘nothing’ on gun safety

Hundreds of high-school students protest gun violence in Tampa rally

Activist groups announce plan to pre-register high school students in states represented by pro-NRA legislators

Florida’s largest teacher union backs Rick Scott school safety plan

Ross Spano, Grady Judd call for allowing guns in schools, churches

David Jolly: Assault weapon license should be as hard to get as White House security clearance

Jeremy Ring: Divest FRS from gun makers

Bob Buckhorn now says Tampa may not appeal firefighter’s sexual discrimination ruling