Peter Schorsch, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschNovember 26, 2018

Florida Democrats may not have gotten everything they wanted, but they still walked away with some noteworthy wins in the 2018 election. The most important among them: Nikki Fried scoring a narrow victory over former state Rep. Matt Caldwell in Agriculture Commissioner race. The former lobbyist was down by a handful of votes on Election […]

Peter SchorschNovember 19, 2018

Consider this column an “open letter” of sorts to the Florida Department of Health. First, do no harm. Got that? Though those words are not actually printed in the Hippocratic Oath, but it’s still an important medical axiom. Here’s the deal. The feds recently passed a new law known as “Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes […]

Peter SchorschNovember 19, 2018

Even with his opponent retracting his concession while a recount of the election results was underway, Ron DeSantis has wasted little time preparing to take the reins of state government. Since as soon as the Friday after Election Day, the former congressman has sat in on a series of meetings and interviews designed to chart […]

Peter SchorschNovember 18, 2018

Just a few days ago, Republican candidate for Agriculture Commissioner Matt Caldwell told Florida Politics that he had “zero interest in winning this election on a legal loophole.” If what the former lawmaker from North Fort Myers said remains true, it is now time for him to do the honorable thing and concede the race […]

Peter SchorschNovember 12, 2018

Last Tuesday’s election results reinforced a political reality many Floridians have had trouble getting their heads around: The Sunshine State is a red state, not a purple one. It’s been twenty years since Jeb Bush defeated the hapless Buddy McKay as part of the GOP winning the trifecta in state government: control of the Governor’s […]

Peter SchorschNovember 6, 2018

Donald Trump brought us to this. The brutal grind to Tuesday’s general election was more of the same as in the lead-up to the primary election, with Trump still casting a long shadow. With early voting turnout setting records, what kind of a referendum on Trumpism will 2018 be in Florida? All signs, at least […]

Peter SchorschNovember 2, 2018

Former President Barack Obama will campaign alongside Florida’s leading Democratic candidates on Friday in Miami at Ice Palace Film Studios. Obama will join U.S. Sen. Bil Nelson and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, the Democrats’ U.S. Senate and gubernatorial nominees, for a rally sure to demonstrate the former President’s continuing popularity among the base. That means the […]

Peter SchorschNovember 2, 2018

Normally, the extras flanking politicians in TV ads are about as memorable as the stock photo models on direct mailers. They flitter across your eyeballs for a second, before getting tossed into the orange bin in the garage. Sometimes they’re dressed up as tradesmen, construction workers, college students or, in the case of a recent […]

Peter SchorschOctober 31, 2018

The most over-analyzed set of statistics in Florida politics is returned ballot math. Some very smart people pore over the data each day and do, frankly, an incredible job informing the public about how Floridians are voting. Matt Isbell, Steve Schale, Dr. Dan Smith, etc. These are all brilliant individuals, and they deserve our collective gratitude […]

Peter SchorschOctober 29, 2018

Will moderate Republican U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo succumb to a Blue Wave? Will Democrat, Donna Shalala actually lose a seat that went plus-20 for Hillary in ‘16? While those questions get hashed and rehashed by the media and those of us in The Process, a third Miami congressional seat appears to be breaking late, setting […]

Peter Schorsch

Email insights: Florida Democrats forget their own history in flub-filled memo

Department of Health: Do no harm

Richard Corcoran for Chief of Staff? And other notes from inside the DeSantis transition

Matt Caldwell should ‘concede’ ASAP

Searching for the silver linings for Florida Democrats

The moments that defined the 2018 race for Florida Governor

President Obama to campaign for Bill Nelson, Andrew Gillum today

Sean Shaw’s anti-special interest ad features some curious casting

Why I believe Andrew Gillum is about to bring it home

Could Mary Barzee Flores be 2018’s sleeper upset?