Bill Rufty, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bill RuftyDecember 13, 2015

The most fun places for political junkies are the diners and coffee shops of small towns where lots of good rumors and speculation seem to be served up along with the eggs and pancakes. And the most speculation recently has been over state Sen. Denise Grimsley, a Sebring Republican, and her 2016 re-election campaign in […]

Bill RuftyDecember 3, 2015

Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland said he can live with the new shape of his 15th Congressional District approved by the Florida Supreme Court on Wednesday even though it cuts more of his home county out of his district. Like many Florida members of Congress, Ross’ district boundaries changed when the court certified […]

Bill RuftyDecember 1, 2015

J.C. Martin, a Republican candidate for the Polk County Commission District 3 seat, knows the value of hard work for his party and is learning the favors that can be stored up by it. He has an all-star cast of Republicans backing him for his Dec. 14 fundraiser including a personal appearance by Lt. Gov. […]

Bill RuftyOctober 14, 2015

As Judge Terry Lewis’ congressional redistricting recommendations move to the Florida Supreme Court, candidates and would-be candidates along the I-4 corridor continue to assess what may happen, particularly to the 10th Congressional District of Rep. Dan Webster and Rep. Alan Grayson’s 9th Congressional District. Without knowing the boundaries of the district, state Sen. Darren Soto, an Orlando […]

Bill RuftySeptember 25, 2015

Florida Senate Appropriations Chair Tom Lee missed his speaking engagement with the Polk County Tiger Bay Club on Thursday. The Brandon Republican had received a summons to Tallahassee, which Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis wouldn’t allow him to postpone. He was a witness for the judge’s hearings to decide from perhaps as many as seven maps of […]

Bill RuftySeptember 23, 2015

A rare double-book signing is being held at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Lone Palm Country Club in Lakeland for James Michael Denham, director of the Lawton M. Chiles Center for Florida History of Florida Southern College in the city. The most recent book, “Florida Founder William P. DuVal: Frontier Bon Vivant” arrived this summer […]

Bill RuftySeptember 22, 2015

Former 10th Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Doyel officially filed late last week to run as a Democrat for the Florida House. House District 41 is within eastern Polk County. Doyel is the fourth candidate to open a campaign account for the seat being vacated by Rep. John Wood, a Winter Haven Republican, who will reach his […]

Bill RuftySeptember 10, 2015

The Florida Presidential Primary is six months away, and while the focus has been on Iowa and New Hampshire in the daily “he blinked … she said …” second-by-second coverage, the faithful in the Sunshine State are getting ready, none more than those working for the second-place runner for the Democrats. Already groups of supporters […]

Bill RuftySeptember 1, 2015

A third Republican and likely to be the fourth candidate overall seeking the vacant Florida House District 41 next year filed his qualification papers Tuesday. Retired 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge Charlie Davis filed to run as a Republican for the east Polk County House seat that will be left vacant by Rep. John […]

Bill RuftyAugust 27, 2015

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had been written off as “fading” or being too quiet with Donald Trump by some commentators and would-be experts in the pre-dawn of the 2016 presidential elections. Others took every minor refute he made toward Trump as a “weak retort.” A Florida Republican strategist and a political scientist along I-4 […]

Bill Rufty

Will Denise Grimsley run again?

Dennis Ross glad he’s “still living in his district” after redistricting

J.C. Martin calls in chips for Polk County Commission District 3 race

Redistricting recommendations change Darren Soto’s CD 9 campaign

Redistricting summons forces Tom Lee to cancel Polk Tiger Bay appearance

Political, judicial histories honored at Chiles Center for Florida History

Robert Doyel makes it a race in HD 41

Central Florida grassroots Dems get busy early for Bernie Sanders

Bill Rufty: A 4th candidate for HD 41

Experts say Jeb Bush “laying up” for Iowa caucuses