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

Ryan RayJuly 20, 2015

Set against a wall-sized backdrop reading “Reform D.C.,” Jeb Bush continued his push for the GOP’s presidential nomination in the state capital Monday morning at Florida State University’s Turnbull Conference Center. Bush, who lived in Tallahassee from 1999 until 2007 when he was governor, took on what he called the excesses of “Mount Washington,” by using the […]

Ryan RayJuly 17, 2015

Per liberal-leaning group American Bridge: That didn’t take long. Friday, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio started sniping at each other. Can’t wait to see what happens when they share a debate stage in August. Bush: “In Washington sadly, if you file an amendment, people just get to call it success …” Rubio: “As a party, we […]

Ryan RayJuly 17, 2015

More than half of Florida’s 27 members of the U.S. House of Representatives called on leaders in the state Legislature to “conduct redistricting hearings across our great State” in a letter dated Thursday. In a missive addressed to Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, the bipartisan group of congressmen and congresswomen — including Democratic […]

Ryan RayJuly 16, 2015

Little-known political novice Joseph Wilkinson was never much of a threat to the incumbency of Republican Rep. Jamie Grant of Tampa, but now he has completely removed himself from consideration by voters in HD 64 altogether. Wilkinson, also a Republican, had not reported raising any contributions. Grant, for his part, has raised $25 ahead of his 2016 reelection campaign. […]

Ryan RayJuly 15, 2015

A tumultuous quarter for the 22nd Congressional District did not stop U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel from bringing in big-time donations: the West Palm Beach Democrat raised a total of $238,476 in the period between April and July, according to a recent filing with the Federal Election Commission. The haul brings her to $510,463 raised overall ahead of 2016 […]

Ryan RayJuly 14, 2015

Republican Mary Thomas was already testing the waters for a run in Congressional District 2 before this past week’s Florida Supreme Court ruling that struck down eight congressional districts and threw the Panhandle seat’s delicate balance into the ash heap of legislative history. Now, as U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham‘s hopes for re-election there lie in the hands […]

Ryan RayJuly 14, 2015

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam made an announcement Tuesday morning that the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s well-known “Fresh From Florida” campaign is getting results. According to the announcement Florida-grown fruits and vegetables marketed through the state program now appear in 12,357 retail stores in 26 countries, with more than 4,000 of those stores lying outside the United […]

Ryan RayJuly 13, 2015

Well-liked legislative staffer Chris Turner is leaving his post with the House Democratic office for a postion with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network where he will manage the organization’s grassroots operations for much of the northern half of the state. Turner says his reasons for accepting the position were personal as well as professional. “As a cancer […]

Ryan RayJuly 13, 2015

Naples businessman and former City Councilman Gary Price added a substantial haul during the June reporting period in his bid to succeed the term-limited Sen. Garrett Richter in the Lee and Collier counties-based SD 23. Price took in $51,450 in campaign donations between a combined $36,450 in contributions — including 27 checks for the maximum $1,000 allowed by […]

Ryan RayJuly 13, 2015

In a new video released by U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson accompanying his Democratic U.S. Senate campaign kickoff, the liberal firebrand recounts his impressive rise from the impoverished tenements of the Bronx to the halls of Congress. Along the way, he says, he started the Washington, D.C.-based research and advocacy group Alliance for Aging Research. “After I finished school, I founded […]

Ryan Ray

Jeb Bush strikes at “Mount Washington” from his old Tallahassee perch

Friends Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio start sniping at each other

15 Florida U.S. House delegation members request state redistricting hearings

Joseph Wilkinson, Jamie Grant’s sole opponent, drops out in HD 64

Lois Frankel collects $238K in 2nd quarter contributions

Amid jockeying in CD 2, Mary Thomas announces $500k fundraising goal for 2015

Ag Department says “Fresh From Florida” products in more foreign stores than ever

Personnel note: Chris Turner to join American Cancer Society advocacy arm

SD 23 candidate Gary Price adds $50K to campaign coffers in June

Alan Grayson says he “founded” Alliance for Aging Research; Alliance: “No comment”