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

Ryan RaySeptember 17, 2015

A day after Sen. Jeff Brandes chaired a committee which spent half its time receiving a presentation on the laurels of electric cars, the St. Petersburg took six groups of reporters and legislators for a demonstration spin around the Capitol in a brand new Tesla on Thursday. The Transportation Committee chairman led an exposition sponsored by […]

Ryan RaySeptember 16, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday announced that recent growth in Florida’s four largest ports has catapulted them further into national prominence. Scott cited a recent report by the Journal of Commerce on the ten fastest-growing ports in the nation for overall volume of imports and exports, which placed PortMiami and Port of Palm Beach tied for No. 2 […]

Ryan RaySeptember 16, 2015

Sheyla Asencios has been hired as the Florida Democratic Party’s deputy political director in charge of Hispanic outreach, the party said Wednesday. She replaces the departing Jeff Branch, who was in a similar capacity until this month but primarily working on outreach to African-American communities. Branch was tapped to be political director of U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy’s […]

Ryan RaySeptember 16, 2015

In its first meeting in preparation of the 2016 regular legislative Session, a Senate committee pulled the trigger on two bills to alter Florida’s state gun statutes on Wednesday. On a so-called “campus carry” bill to allow concealed weapons into higher education facilities, a House panel shortly followed suit. First up was SB 130 sponsored […]

Ryan RaySeptember 15, 2015

Twenty members of Congress signed a letter to the nation’s top agricultural official on Tuesday calling for federal assistance in the Florida’s fight against an infestation of Oriental Fruit Flies that threatens the nation’s wintertime supply of fruits, vegetables and nuts. U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham, the Florida delegation’s sole freshman Democrat, joined 12 Republicans and […]

Ryan RaySeptember 15, 2015

Orlando Democrat Sen. Geraldine Thompson filed legislation Tuesday to require certain employers to provide paid leave for employees stricken with illness or facing threatening situations at home. Thompson’s SB 294 would create the “Healthy Working Families Act” and dictate that certain regularly scheduled, nonindependent contractor workers are entitled to compensated time off if they are sick or […]

Ryan RaySeptember 15, 2015

An Oriental Fruit Fly infestation in Miami-Dade County has risen to the level of an agricultural emergency, Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Adam Putnam declared Tuesday. “The Oriental Fruit Fly is one of the world’s most destructive pests and poses a significant threat to Florida’s $123 billion agriculture industry and the two million jobs it supports,” […]

Ryan RaySeptember 15, 2015

Rep. Dennis Baxley – father of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law – filed a bill Tuesday that would tweak the state’s self-defense statutes. Baxley’s newly-filed HB 169 is designed to enhance the legal standing of defendants who claim they acted in self-defense while using or threatening to use deadly force in a dispute. The bill would shift the legal burden […]

Ryan RaySeptember 14, 2015

Democratic Ramon Alexander is closing in on the $100,000 mark in his bid to succeed Rep. Alan Williams in North Florida’s heavily Democratic HD 8. The former Florida A&M University student body president and local nonprofit leader continued to outpace his primary rivals for the seat, bringing in $10,110 during the month of August for a […]

Ryan RaySeptember 10, 2015

Palm Beach Commissioner Melissa McKinlay announced Thursday she will raise money for her congressional campaign in Tampa this weekend – and she’ll be joined by some serious local Democratic brass. Five-term Tampa Congresswoman Kathy Castor will address attendees at the brunch event Saturday morning in support of McKinlay, who is seeking the 18th Congressional District seat left open by […]

Ryan Ray

Jeff Brandes, Drive Electric Florida show off Tesla’s new wares at the Capitol

Rick Scott touts growth of four major Florida ports

Florida Democratic Party taps Sheyla Asencios as new deputy political director

Gun bills move forward in early committee action

U.S. House members from Florida implore USDA to help battle fruit fly infestation

Bill would mandate paid leave for sick, endangered workers

South Florida deemed “agricultural state of emergency” area because of fruit flies

Dennis Baxley files bill to aid self-defense claimants

Ramon Alexander closing in on $100K raised in HD 8 race

Melissa McKinlay set to appear with Kathy Castor at Tampa fundraiser