Peter Schorsch, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschFebruary 19, 2018

Parkland High School is not in Gary Farmer’s state Senate district. No children from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School live in his district. But … Farmer lived in Parkland for a decade and, as degrees of separation would have it, his family is closely connected to several of those who were directly and tragically impacted […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 19, 2018

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Ana Ceballos, Daniel McAuliffe, and Jim Rosica. President’s Day is the grab bag holiday that too few people celebrate, Rick Hertzberg of the New Yorker once noted. February 22 used to be Washington’s Birthday. It still is, of course, […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 18, 2018

On Friday, Gov. Rick Scott demanded that FBI Director Christopher Wray resign after the federal agency acknowledged it failed to follow standard procedures after receiving a tip in January about Nikolas Cruz, the man charged this week with killing 17 people at a Broward high school. “Seventeen innocent people are dead, and acknowledging a mistake isn’t going […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 17, 2018

With only three weeks left in the 2018 Legislative Session, the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is dominating the conversation in Tallahassee. Democrats have started making noise about Republicans obstructing their long-stalled gun control bills, while GOP-leaders have focused on the need for changes to mental health laws, and needed funding boosts. Gov. Rick […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 16, 2018

Another day, another hot take on the crowded Democratic primary in Florida’s 27th Congressional District. According to POLITICO Florida, Donna Shalala’s possible entrance into the race has one candidate downright giddy, or at least showing a good poker face. State Representative David Richardson believes Shalala’s record as Secretary of Health & Human Services will be […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 16, 2018

Republican state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto has been named to a nationwide committee dedicated to helping GOP candidates win seats in state legislatures. The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee, a caucus of the Republican State Leadership Committee, bills itself as the “only national organization dedicated exclusively to electing more Republicans to state legislatures.” The group announced Wednesday that […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 16, 2018

Ballard Partners was the top-earning lobbying firm in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the past year overall according to an analysis of newly filed compensation reports. Southern Strategy Group and Ron Book, P.A., finished second and third, respectively. Joining those three firms in the $1 million-per-quarter club are Capital City Consulting, Greenberg Traurig and […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 16, 2018

Uh-oh. Orange County Commissioner Bryan Nelson, who resigned his seat effective April 24 to run for Apopka Mayor, has staked his campaign on a specious claim that under first-term Mayor Joe Kilsheimer’s watch the city’s cash reserves have dwindled from $40 million to $3 million. Nelson, a former state Representative, has cast himself as a […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 16, 2018

Before we get to federal and state news, let’s take a look at local drama. In what has been the roughest week for Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry, his administration pushed forth to a skeptical City Council and the querulous crowd a controversial report Wednesday urging the sale of the local public utility. The valuation study […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 15, 2018

Sixty Days — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session The Last 24 Good Thursday evening. Adam Putnam is backing off for now on a request to make getting a concealed-carry permit easier, and help is on the way for opioid abuse. For the record, the hardest thing in the Sixty Days medicine cabinet […]

Peter Schorsch
Image via Rick Scott Senate office.

Gary Farmer’s moment

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics – 2.19.18

By Rick Scott’s standards, Rick Scott should resign in wake of Parkland shooting

Takeaways from Tallahassee — A tragic dialogue

Donna Shalala’s candidacy wouldn’t put CD 27 into play, right? RIGHT?

Lizbeth Benacquisto named to RLCC Executive Committee

Ballard Partners tops in lobbying compensation for 2017; SSG, Ron Book round-out Top 3

Bryan Nelson’s $5 million mistake

Jacksonville Bold for 2.16.18 — Power play

Sixty Days for 2.15.18 — A prime-time look at the 2018 Legislative Session