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

Ryan RayJuly 11, 2015

Democratic House candidate Ramon Alexander took in $12,154 in June fundraising from more than a hundred donors to add to his steep lead in contribution totals over fellow Democrat Brad Johnson in House District 8. Alexander’s haul takes his fundraising total to $70,649 overall in as he seeks to succeed term-limited Rep. Alan Williams in HD 8, which takes […]

Ryan RayJuly 10, 2015

Speaker of the House Steve Crisafulli has endorsed Rep. Tom Goodson in central Brevard County-based HD 51, the term-limited Crisafulli’s home district, according to a Friday news release. Goodson now represents a sliver of Brevard in his HD 50 seat, but had to establish residence in Titusville after 2011 House redistricting removed his home base in Rockledge […]

Ryan RayJuly 10, 2015

Rep. Ray Pilon raised just $1,985 this past month while his opponent in Sarasota’s HD 72, Democrat Edward James, brought in more than $30,000 between his campaign account and an affiliated PAC. That blowout margin bears an asterisk — Pilon was prohibited from taking contributions for most of June because of the Special Session — but it […]

Ryan RayJuly 9, 2015

Thursday’s landmark Florida Supreme Court decision invalidating eight congressional districts drawn by the Legislature sends shock waves through Florida’s balance of power. That’s true nowhere more than in the northern third of the state, where a national debate in the courts over U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown‘s 5th Congressional District continued to bleed into adjacent districts. […]

Ryan RayJuly 9, 2015

Democrat Edward James III won’t hold yet his first official fundraiser until next week, but that hasn’t stopped him from raising about a thousand dollars a day since he entered the race last month. James has raised a total of $30,175 according to just-released campaign finance reports, an unusually high figure for a Democratic newcomer. A majority […]

Ryan RayJuly 8, 2015

The Department of Health on Wednesday evening released the final list of commercial growers hoping to receive one of five state licenses to grow marijuana for use in Charlotte’s Web, a low-THC cannabis-derived drug that will treat Floridians with certain chronic or terminal illnesses. They are as follows, divided by region. The state will issue one […]

Ryan RayJuly 8, 2015

Rumors surrounding U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson and his designs on the Senate seat Marco Rubio will soon vacate are nothing new. But with word spreading that the self-proclaimed “Congressman with Guts” will officially announce Thursday efforts to prepare for the electoral domino effect he’ll set in motion are gaining a new urgency. Grayson’s decision to give up a coveted seat in the […]

Ryan RayJuly 8, 2015

In its vigorous crusade to legalize “ridesharing,” Uber has made some enemies among decision makers. Two days after the firm announced a pointed withdrawal from all operations in Broward County, officials in Key West are now saying they may arrest drivers who run afoul of local ordinances banning electronic ride-hailing. Meanwhile in Paris, French officials recently detained top Uber executives for […]

Ryan RayJuly 8, 2015

On the heels of Uber‘s announcement of its planned end to operations in Broward County effective July 31, the San Francisco-based business is enlisting “ridesharing” fellow travelers to join them Wednesday night as Capital City commissioners debate an ordinance to regulate them in a manner similar to taxi companies. Just nine days ahead of the scheduled completion of a […]

Ryan RayJuly 7, 2015

The mood tonight is like an undergraduate’s finals week for a gaggle of commercial farmers hoping to grow the low-THC cannabis product Charlotte’s Web. Wednesday at 5 p.m. marks the deadline to submit applications for the first-ever legal licenses to grow marijuana in Florida. A spokeswoman for the Department of Health – which houses the Office […]

Ryan Ray
Pollsters find that both of Florida's hot-button constitutional amendments in 2024 are falling short. Image via WFSU.

Ramon Alexander rakes in $12k in June to top $70k overall in HD 8

Speaker Steve Crisafulli endorses Tom Goodson in HD 51

Ray Pilon, out-raised in June, unfazed by Democratic challenge

Court-ordered congressional boundary changes could wreak electoral havoc in North Florida

First-time candidate Edward James tops $30k in HD 72 fundraising

DOH announces 28 applicants for Charlotte’s Web licenses

Alan Grayson Senate bid will tip political dominoes in Central Florida

Should Uber, like Airbnb, employ lighter touch with regulators?

After pointed Broward pull-out, Uber taking ride-hailing fight to Tallahassee

For Charlotte’s Web hopefuls, the scramble is on ahead of DOH license deadline