Jim Rosica, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaNovember 13, 2015

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry gave a warning to Sunshine Summit attendees milling about in the hall. “You might want to come back in,” he said. “I’m getting ready to tell you how conservatives win elections.” The Republican Curry, former chair of the state GOP, beat incumbent Democratic Mayor Alvin Brown last year. He castigated Brown as putting […]

Jim RosicaNovember 13, 2015

Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz, eschewing tie and lectern, strode onto the Sunshine Summit stage and launched into a talk show host-style monologue, joking about the next Democratic debate being held at “Leavenworth,” home of the famous federal penitentiary. But the junior U.S. senator from Texas quickly got serious, reciting a laundry list of conservative crowd-favorite […]

Jim RosicaNovember 12, 2015

7:05 p.m.: Minutes before former Vice President Dick Cheney was set to give the keynote remarks at the Florida GOP Statesman’s Dinner, a precursor to this weekend’s Sunshine Summit, the Democratic National Committee launched a pre-emptive strike. The DNC posted a highlight reel of sorts on YouTube, highlighting Cheney’s comments leading up to the Iraq War. “In […]

Jim RosicaNovember 11, 2015

Of the groups behind two solar-power constitutional amendments competing to get on the 2016 ballot, one currently has more signatures, but the other now has raised gobs more cash. The utility-backed Consumers for Smart Solar has raised nearly $3.8 million, including $2.3 million in October alone, according to online campaign finance reports. The latest disclosures were due […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

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Circuit Judge George Reynolds stuck to his guns Tuesday, saying that pre-trial conference and trial dates for a state Senate redistricting challenge were “carved in stone.” Reynolds held a brief case management conference at the Leon County Courthouse, reiterating that Dec. 1 and Dec. 10 would be reserved for pre-trial, with trial remaining on Dec. 14-18. As he […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

Despite questions on many parts of the map, the Florida Supreme Court Tuesday focused on South Florida during the final scheduled oral argument in an ongoing congressional redistricting challenge. That inflamed Democratic U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, whose north-south district had been ordered changed by the court to an east-west configuration. That district didn’t get a mention. Brown, wearing […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

Heavy giving by political groups connected to Florida’s premier business lobby has pushed Republican Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam‘s political committee to more than $3 million in total fundraising. October fundraising numbers were due Tuesday; figures for Florida Grown PC were posted on its website Tuesday morning but not yet available on the state’s campaign finance page. […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

The outside lawyer for the Florida House of Representatives argued in a legal brief against a set of suggested congressional district boundaries in part by saying there’s no legal requirement “to create the ‘best’ possible districts.” George Meros, a Tallahassee attorney who also represented then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential recount, says the court […]

Jim RosicaNovember 10, 2015

The state’s Department of Environmental Protection and its employee who said he was punished for using the term “climate change” earlier this year quietly worked out a “separation settlement agreement” in May. The agreement was provided to FloridaPolitics.com on Monday after a public-records request to the department. Mainly, both sides agreed not to sue each […]

Jim RosicaNovember 9, 2015

A Florida appeals court has largely upheld a ruling for the Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) in a case involving a low-interest loan program for the state’s small businesses. A three-judge panel of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal on Monday sided with DEO on a summary judgment in a suit brought by the Black Business […]

Jim Rosica

Lenny Curry, Richard Corcoran talk about cronyism, courage

Ted Cruz takes on Obama, federal government at Sunshine Summit

The ticktock on the Florida GOP Statesman’s Dinner

Utility-backed solar amendment rakes in campaign cash

Judge holds to dates for state Senate redistricting trial

Corrine Brown lambastes state Supreme Court over congressional redistricting

Adam Putnam political committee takes in nearly $700K in October

House lawyer: Congressional districts don’t need to be perfect

“Climate change” kerfuffle results in secret settlement with DEP

Appeals court sides with DEO in contract case