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

Ryan RayMay 10, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday OK’d a plan to buy still more conservation easements. Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam approved the $6.6 million in deals at a Cabinet meeting. The land, in Osceola County south of St. Cloud, will be set […]

Ryan RayMay 9, 2016

In Tallahassee, Tampa Rep. Dana Young has long been considered a pol whose career may transcend the House. Combine her political bloodline (grandfather was Senate president, uncle served in the House) and prowess on the campaign trail (soundly defeated all comers in a swing seat since 2010) and it’s not hard to see Young has more juice […]

Ryan RayMay 9, 2016

Wilton Manors Democrat Ken Keechl may stand to gain from a negative “Donald Trump effect” against a Republican incumbent in deep-blue Broward, but apparently he isn’t taking any chances. Keechl is challenging third-term Pompano Beach state Rep. George Moraitis in moderate, coastal House District 93. Keechl took in $21,198 during the April reporting period while Moraitis raised just $3,700, […]

Ryan RayMay 6, 2016

A plan for the state of Florida to buy $6.6 million in new state land easements took another step toward approval this week. Aides to Gov. Rick Scott and Cabinet officers heard plans to buy two huge swaths of land in Osceola County, south of St. Cloud, for conservation purposes. Such land is set aside to help […]

Ryan RayMay 5, 2016

U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham paid a surprise visit to Afghanistan this week to visit American mothers serving overseas and Afghan women working towards gender equality. The visit was part of a bipartisan Congressional delegation to the war-torn nation, where a series of foreign occupiers and long-term civil strife has made life difficult for all Afghans, particularly women. Graham […]

Ryan RayMay 5, 2016

The Florida Supreme Court weighed arguments on whether the state will execute a convicted murderer or overturn his death sentence on Thursday. Timothy Hurst‘s legal counsel argued errors in the sentencing process should invalidate his sentence in light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that briefly invalidated Florida’s death penalty regime. Attorneys for the state, […]

Ryan RayMay 4, 2016

Many red state politicians — and even POLITICO co-founder Jim VandeHei in a recent op-ed — often talk of a “real America,” a nation apart from the latte liberal denizens of our urban, coastal cities. But new research has found one of the most “normal” cities in America is right here in Florida — the greater Tampa Bay […]

Ryan RayMay 3, 2016

Major agriculture players — growers, industry advocates, scientists, and policymakers alike — will congregate in West Palm Beach on Wednesday for the Palm Beach International Agricultural Summit. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is expected to join in, along with senior executives from farm machinery giant John Deere and leading food pantry operator United Way of New York, as participants take a deep dive into issues […]

Ryan RayMay 2, 2016

After 300 hundred episodes and five years on the air, the Sunday morning public affairs program Facing Florida called it quits last month. Host and producer Mike Vasilinda told FloridaPolitics.com Monday that though he loved doing the show and felt it contributed to the political discourse around Tallahassee, the show was taking away too much from his […]

Ryan RayMay 2, 2016

The Florida Chamber of Commerce lent their substantial clout to four statehouse Republicans on Monday. Groveland Rep. Larry Metz, Auburndale Rep. Neil Combee, Maitland Rep. Bob Cortes, Saint Cloud Rep. Mike De La Rosa, and Orlando Rep. Eric Eisnaugle were among those who got the nod from the pro-business group. The lawmakers all received “A” grades on the Chamber’s annual legislative report […]

Ryan Ray
Golf ball and golf club in bag on green grass

Rick Scott, Cabinet approve land conservation deal

Dana Young cited as ‘Republican force’ in Roll Call

Ken Keechl blows out George Moraitis in April HD 93 fundraising

Cabinet aides tee up land deal for Tuesday vote

Ahead of Mother’s Day, Gwen Graham makes congressional visit to Afghanistan

Supreme Court hears arguments on overturning death sentences

Tampa Bay is like America, but more so

Adam Putnam, water specialists to address international agriculture summit Wednesday

Public affairs show ‘Facing Florida’ ends after five-year run

Florida Chamber endorses A-Grade legislative Republicans