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

Mitch PerryMay 2, 2017

Legislation to revamp the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) by reducing its footprint passed Tuesday a second reading on the Florida House floor. One more vote in the House, and the bill goes to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk. Sponsored in the House by Plant City Republican Dan Raulerson, HB 1243 would downsize TBARTA from seven counties to five (Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee and […]

Mitch PerryMay 2, 2017

A coalition of seniors, health plans and private companies advocating lower prescription drug costs is launching a campaign in Florida. The Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing (CSRxP) believes taxpayers should get a full accounting of how much they pay for high-cost drugs through federal programs like Medicare, or through research at the National Institutes of Health. […]

Mitch PerryMay 1, 2017

Emboldened by the news that South Florida Republican Illeana Ros-Lehtinen will not run for re-election next year, the Democratic Campaign Congressional Committee (DCCC) released its “2018 Republican Retirement Watchlist.” While Alaska’s Don Young tops the list, Sarasota’s Vern Buchanan and Miami-Dade’s Mario Diaz Balart are listed second and third, respectively. “Given the negative national environment for the […]

Mitch PerryMay 1, 2017

Rumors continue to circulate that former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker will soon announce his candidacy to challenge incumbent Rick Kriseman in November. If so, Baker may need to do it as soon as this week, as Kriseman continues to extend his financial advantage. The Kriseman campaign announced Monday that the campaign and an associated committee combined to […]

Mitch PerryMay 1, 2017

Former Vice President Joe Biden will be the keynote speaker for the Florida Democratic Party’s biggest fundraising event of the year, the annual Leadership Blue Gala next month in Fort Lauderdale. “We are thrilled to announce the former vice president as our keynote speaker. Joe Biden has spent his life in public service and has fought tirelessly […]

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2017

Democratic hopes to retake the House in 2018 received a boost Sunday, with the announcement that longtime South Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will not run for re-election. “There was no epiphany. There was no moment, nothing that has happened that I’ve said, “I’ve got to move on,’” Ros-Lehtinen, who represents Florida’s 27th Congressional District, told […]

Mitch PerryApril 30, 2017

President Donald Trump has offered Republican Party of Florida National Committeewoman Sharon Day an as-yet-unannounced role in his administration. Day, who has been with the Florida GOP since 2004, said she would provide more information about the job “at a later date.” “I have been offered a position within the White House administration,” Day told the audience at the […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2017

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says he had broken the record for restoring voting rights to convicted felons, calling it his “proudest achievement” as governor. And Charlie Crist is leading the cheers applauding the move. McAuliffe boasted Thursday he had individually restored rights to 156,221 Virginians, surpassing the previous record-holder — Crist — by a nose. As […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2017

According to North Korea’s deputy U.N. ambassador, the standoff over his country’s nuclear program will end only when the U.S. withdraws its “hostile policy” toward the northeast Asian nation. In an interview with The Associated Press Friday, Kim In Ryong says his government will not attend “any type of talks which would discuss its nuclear abandonment.” That includes the […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2017

Officials had high hopes for a bill to reconfigure Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA). Those same officials are now expressing some contentment following an amendment from the bill’s original sponsor, Clearwater Republican Jack Latvala. The legislation would change TBARTA’s name from the Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority to the Tampa Bay Regional Transit Authority, and […]

Mitch Perry

TBARTA revamp one step closer to Rick Scott’s desk

New coalition intent on bringing down cost of pharmaceuticals launches Florida campaign

DCCC puts Vern Buchanan and Mario Diaz-Ballart near the top of its ‘2018 Retirement Watch List’

Rick Kriseman campaign raises more than $100,000 in April for re-election

Joe Biden to keynote Florida Dems Leadership Blue Gala in Fort Lauderdale June 17

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will not run for re-election in 2018

Sharon Day says Donald Trump offered her a job in White House, mum on details

Charlie Crist applauds Terry McAuliffe for beating his record on restoring voting rights

Bill Nelson: If China can’t deter North Korea’s nuclear plans, it could mean war

Tampa Bay officials OK with TBARTA bill, now before full Senate