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

Peter SchorschDecember 18, 2016

Top House Democrat Janet Cruz has hired a former Justice Department lawyer to serve as staff director for the Minority Office. Alexa Chappell, most recently an attorney with the Department of Justice, will replace Joe McCann, who exited the position last month. Before her time at the Justice Department, Chappell served in a number of roles for Obama for […]

Peter SchorschDecember 17, 2016

Pro tip: Never forget your bag in the Florida Capitol. “Suspicious packages” are not taken lightly. Monday afternoon, people who went to get a late lunch were turned away from the lower-level cafeteria by Capitol Police. “The cafeteria’s closed right now,” they told potential customers as they shut the doors. Soon, the three officers became seven, then […]

Peter SchorschDecember 16, 2016

Chinese philosopher-general Sun Tzu once wrote: “Know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster.” This could also be valuable advice for Florida unions and Democrats — pick your battles wisely. The recent dust-up between unions and Wal-Mart over outsourcing security in Florida could impact another upcoming fight in the […]

Peter SchorschDecember 16, 2016

Gov. Rick Scott has confirmed the firings of Chief Operating Officer Vangie McCorvey and Chief Marketing Officer Paul Phipps at Visit Florida, the state’s tourism agency. Scott was in Orlando Friday to release the latest unemployment figures. CEO Will Seccombe suddenly postponed a quarterly staff meeting scheduled for Friday morning to the afternoon. Speculation was that he was heading to the Governor’s Office […]

Peter SchorschDecember 16, 2016

It was a good year to run as an incumbent according to an article published Thursday in Sabato’s Crystal Ball. “Looking over the down-ballot outcome, there’s one inescapable conclusion in a year that was defined by a political outsider, Donald Trump, winning the presidency: It was still a really good year to run as an […]

Peter SchorschDecember 16, 2016

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry and Jim Rosica. DONALD TRUMP BRINGS THANK YOU TOUR TO SUNSHINE STATE If President-elect Donald Trump wanted to bring his thank you tour to only to areas of dense supporters, his Friday evening visit to Orlando might […]

Peter SchorschDecember 15, 2016

Ballard Partners on Thursday announced a “strategic alliance” with the Chicago-based All-Circo political consulting firm. “It gives us a marketing opportunity in a very important part of the country,” firm president Brian Ballard said. “We try to find the ‘best of class’ wherever we go.” John J. Kelly Jr., All-Circo’s president and owner, has been […]

Peter SchorschDecember 14, 2016

House Speaker Richard Corcoran says he’s “proud of the way” his subcommittee chairs were chosen – which makes you wonder what devils were in the details. In a statement, the Land O’Lakes Republican said he wanted to “decentralize authority” in selecting the chairs for the next two legislative sessions. The decisions were made based on “member consultations, […]

Peter SchorschDecember 14, 2016

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry, Jim Rosica, and Florence Snyder. TIMELY ADVICE FROM JOE NEGRON: DON’T WASTE TIME Senate President Joe Negron was a kindly headmaster at this week‘s orientation for committee chairmen and staff directors, offering excellent time management tips that everyone in […]

Peter SchorschDecember 13, 2016

Hardly a week goes by without the Tampa Bay Times’ Charlie Frago reporting a new development in the crisis surrounding Rick Kriseman and the City of St. Petersburg’s handling of its sewage system’s overflow problems. Most recently, Kriseman stopped a plan to hire a state employee to the city’s sewer department who was involved in the investigation of the city’s sewage system problems. That Kriseman […]

Peter Schorsch

Personnel note: Alexa Chappell hired as House minority staff director

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Pro tips

Wal-Mart outsourcing security issue could make Democrats ‘natural allies’ in whiskey and Wheaties fight

Visit Florida axes top officials after Pitbull controversy

Incumbents have better-than-average year in 2016, says Sabato’s Crystal Ball

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics – 12.16.16

Ballard Partners teams up with leading Illinois influence shop

Reading between the lines: Richard Corcoran’s subcommittee appointment choices

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics – 12.14.16

New poll shows Rick Kriseman is popular, but could lose to Rick Baker in 2017