Ryan Ray, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayOctober 15, 2015

The Senate campaign of U.S. Rep. David Jolly announced Thursday afternoon it has raised $892,875 during the first quarter of his 2016 race, with a mean $658,000 of that in cash on hand. In a statement released on the occasion of the new fundraising figures, Jolly heralded the haul as a sign of his statewide strength. “I have […]

Ryan RayOctober 15, 2015

Thursday’s announcement from the Social Security Administration that beneficiaries will receive no cost-of-living increase to their monthly payments in 2016 has added new urgency for reforms to the way benefits for seniors are remitted, says U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. In a conference call with reporters, Grayson called for an increase in benefits to account for the decreasing […]

Ryan RayOctober 14, 2015

Sen. Arthenia Joyner didn’t mean it in a good way when she said recent actions taken by Gov. Rick Scott and her GOP colleagues in the statehouse represented “just another day in Tallahassee.” After taking to the rostrum to the tune of Aretha Franklin‘s “Respect,” Joyner heaped criticism on the governor and legislative leaders for “grand abdications of the […]

Ryan RayOctober 14, 2015

When Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera addressed reporters during the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning session in Tallahassee, he made it clear he sees himself as a man of action rather than rhetoric. “I’ve actually delivered results for Floridians,” said Lopez-Cantera, known around the Capitol as “CLC.” “If there’s one thing you should ask anybody who’s running for […]

Ryan RayOctober 14, 2015

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis isn’t the most well-known face in Tallahassee – the 37-year-old Navy lawyer never served in the statehouse – but the themes he underlined at AP Day in the state Capitol Wednesday morning were familiar indeed. DeSantis hit the conservative high notes of opposition to the Iran deal, dissatisfaction with the higher education system, and […]

Ryan RayOctober 13, 2015

Rep. Greg Steube called a columnist’s bluff on Tuesday, filing a bill to allow guns into public hearings at the Florida Capitol. Scott Maxwell of the Orlando Sentinel wrote last week that Florida lawmakers were “gun-shy cowards” for proposing to allow guns on college campuses, but not inside the Legislature. “Republican House members have advanced two gun bills: one […]

Ryan RayOctober 13, 2015

The Florida Taxicab Association issued another broadside against Uber on Tuesday, this time focusing on a new University of South Florida-Nielsen poll that suggests most Floridians are in favor of legal restrictions on so-called transportation network companies. According to the new poll released Tuesday, 89 percent of Floridians think ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft “should be required to have liability […]

Ryan RayOctober 13, 2015

Democratic candidate Ramon Alexander continued to lead the field in the race to succeed Rep. Alan Williams in the heavily Democratic House District 8, raising $13,075 during the September reporting period. Gretna City Commissioner Clarence Jackson came in second for the month, hauling in $8,610, while former aide to the Tallahassee mayor’s office Brad Johnson raised $2,305. State worker Dianne Williams-Cox […]

Ryan RayOctober 13, 2015

A new poll released Tuesday morning shows Mayor Buddy Dyer leading Republican challenger Paul Paulson by a margin of 50 percent to 31 percent in his quest for a fifth term as Orlando’s chief executive. Polling firm St. Pete Polls concluded that UCF medical student “Sunshine” Lunda Grund has also garnered support to the tune of just under 6 percent in her quixotic […]

Ryan RayOctober 12, 2015

An across-the-aisle pair of Tampa Bay area lawmakers are seeking to increase the level of taxpayer help Florida businesses can receive for research and development. Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes from St. Petersburg on Monday filed SB 508, a Senate companion bill to legislation that would bump up the level of R&D tax credits a business can receive […]

Ryan Ray
Image via the Associated Press.

David Jolly takes in $892,875 in through third quarter fundraising

Alan Grayson: seniors “cheated” out of SSA benefits, will propose cost-of-living increase Friday

Senate Democratic leader rips into Rick Scott, state GOP leadership

Show, don’t tell Carlos Lopez-Cantera

Ron DeSantis outlines Iran opposition, college and transportation policy plans at AP Day

Greg Steube files bill to allow guns into legislative meetings

Taxi group contends survey calls for regulating Uber

Ramon Alexander pulls in $13,075 in September fundraising in HD 8

Poll: Buddy Dyer leading Paul Paulson in 50-31 Orlando mayor’s race

Bipartisan bill would boost maximum state R&D funding for Florida biz