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

Bill RuftyJune 29, 2018

Lakeland attorney Kristen Carlson entered the Democratic primary for Florida’s 15th Congressional District only two days before the deadline, but a poll released by her staff shows her ahead of her two opponents, each of whom has been running for the spot for a year or more. The poll’s frequency count shows Carlson ahead with […]

Bill RuftyJune 14, 2018

The Tampa Tiger Bay Club will host all candidates who are running to fill the vacancy in Florida’s 15th Congressional District at a meeting Friday at the Ferguson Law Center in Tampa. Tiger Bay officials invited the three Democrats and six Republicans competing to replace Republican U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross of Lakeland, who is retiring […]

Bill RuftyJune 13, 2018

Ray Pena, of Lakeland, is running for the Democratic Party’s nomination for Florida’s 15th Congressional District as the first Hispanic-American to seek the district located in portions of Hillsborough, Polk and Lake counties. He is doing it the old-fashioned way, handshaking every person he meets and appearing at all public candidate meetings. He enumerates the issues […]

Bill RuftyJune 12, 2018

Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd is endorsing former Circuit Judge Ashley Moody for Attorney General. Judd made the announcement at an early Tuesday morning news conference in Bartow. Moody campaign says now there are 40 Florida sheriffs have now endorsed her for the office. “For more than forty-five years, Grady Judd has served the citizens of Polk […]

Bill RuftyJune 7, 2018

EMILY’s List, the progressive organization that supports women candidates for office, has recommended Kristen Carlson, Lakeland attorney and 11th-hour entrant into the Democratic primary, for Florida’s 15th Congressional District. The endorsement put two organizations that support Democratic candidates at odds with one another. At least one Democratic candidate, Greg Pilkington of Indian Lake Estates, withdrew […]

Bill RuftyJune 6, 2018

The second television ad for Baxter Troutman, Republican candidate for Agriculture Commissioner, began running statewide Wednesday. The ad for the Winter Haven businessman and grower is part of a $1.6 million television and digital ad package the campaign announced two weeks ago. The first television ad featured Becky Troutman, the candidate’s wife, talking about her […]

Bill RuftyMay 31, 2018

Republican Sean Harper believes that, in the era of Donald Trump, business expertise will win out over political experience. That’s why the Lakeland contractor is running against five other Republicans for Florida’s 15th Congressional District, two of whom have experience in the state Legislature. Harper entered the race May 2, two days before the filing […]

Bill RuftyMay 30, 2018

While most campaigns are concerned with the August primary elections, the general appears already to have started for Senate District 22 and the main issue is education. The campaign of former Circuit Judge Robert Doyel, of Winter Haven, fired several blasts at Sen. Kelli Stargel, a Lakeland Republican, because she would not participate in a […]

Bill RuftyMay 23, 2018

Kristen Carlson of Lakeland entered the Democratic Primary for Florida’s 15th Congressional District just over two weeks ago and has reported campaign donations of more than $100,000 already. Her staff said most of it came in during the first 13 days. Carlson, a former General Counsel for the Florida Department of Citrus, current counsel for […]

Bill RuftyMay 21, 2018

Many political junkies are questioning whether two different entities that support the same goal — a Democrat in Florida’s 15th Congressional District — are backing two different candidates in the primary. Andrew Learned of Valrico has been a candidate for the post since June 23, 2017, and has the advice and help from the Democratic […]

Bill Rufty
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Internal poll gives Kristen Carlson lead among CD 15 Dems

Tampa Tiger Bay Club to host bipartisan CD 15 candidate forum

Democratic hopeful Ray Pena hits CD 15 with old-school handshaking, retail politics

Grady Judd gives thumbs up to Ashley Moody for AG

CD 15 primary support puts Democratic groups at odds

Baxter Troutman releases second statewide ad

Last one in; first one with votes, CD 15 candidate says

Looking toward November, SD 22 race turns up the heat

Hitting the ground collecting in CD 15

Two progressive organizations, but different candidates?