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

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2018

A community forum to discuss the recent agreement between 17 Florida Sheriffs and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is scheduled to take place Thursday night in St. Petersburg. That agreement allows local authorities to hold undocumented immigrants beyond the time they normally would have to be released based on state or local cases. It […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 22, 2018

On the debate over assault rifle bans, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King believes the Florida Legislature is a bunch of cowards. With the eyes of the nation on them, the GOP-led state House blocked a move by Democrats Tuesday to debate a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines in Florida, six days after a massacre […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2018

Rob Wallace, a Republican who served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1994 to 2002 representing Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, died on Monday, jumping from a Dale Mabry Highway overpass. Wallace was 65. At least one witness saw Wallace plunge 40 to 50 feet onto Gunn Highway, according to a Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s report. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2018

Kathy Castor was part of a six-member group of Democratic members of Congress visiting Cuba over the past few days, but the delegation shrank to five this week when meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro. “I came back to Tampa on Tuesday, ” Castor said in a phone call Wednesday afternoon before the rest of […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-02-21-at-12.58.37-PM.png

Republican candidate for Agriculture Commissioner Matt Caldwell on Wednesday said he believes making schools gun-free zones is the main reason on why tragedies like last week’s mass shooting at a Broward County high school happen. “I believe that these … shootings happen because (schools) are soft targets—they happen because we designate them gun-free zones,” said Caldwell, a […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2018

If elected, Democratic Attorney General candidate Ryan Torrens says he would not enforce Florida law that prohibits cities and counties from enacting their own gun-control ordinances. Local officials who do enforce them can face a $5,000 fine. “It is blatantly clear that Gov. (Rick) Scott and our state Legislature are not willing to lift a […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 21, 2018

Mike Deeson is pushing back on the city of Tampa’s official position regarding where finance director Sonya Little resides. The former Channel 10 news investigative reporter filed a lawsuit Monday against the City of Tampa, claiming it is in violation of public records laws by denying him the home address of the city’s CFO, whom Deeson maintains […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 20, 2018

An immigration advocacy group on Tuesday launched a series of digital ads targeting Republican U.S. Reps. Brian Mast and Carlos Curbelo, as well as their GOP colleagues, for their role in failing to protect “Dreamers.” iAmerica Action announced it will spend $250,000 in 27 House districts on the ads, many of which have large Latino populations. Mast represents […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 20, 2018

Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and Hillsborough County’s Republican State Committeeman Jim Waurishuk is the new Chairman of the Hillsborough Republican Executive Committee. Waurishuk defeated political consultant April Schiff, 76-58 Tuesday night during the party’s monthly meeting in Tampa. The military veteran has only been involved with local party politics since 2011 when he joined the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 20, 2018

Florida is poised to make history with the Legislature’s Tuesday passage of a proposal to place a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune in the National Statuary Hall at the U.S. Capitol. The statue of Bethune would replace a likeness of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, who has represented Florida for decades in […]

Mitch Perry

Bob Gualtieri vexed over immigration misinformation

Chris King: Legislature ‘cowardly’ for running from assault rifle ban

Former state lawmaker Rob Wallace commits suicide

Kathy Castor hopes U.S. can learn truth about diplomat injuries in Cuba

Matt Caldwell: Gun-free zones led to Parkland shooting

Ryan Torrens says he’ll allow local gun control laws

Mike Deeson says city of Tampa participating in ‘sham’ regarding CFO’s address

Progressives target Brian Mast, Carlos Curbelo on immigration

Jim Waurishuk elected chair of Hillsborough GOP, vows to make county party great again

Bethune statue bill heads to governor