Scott Powers, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJuly 27, 2018

Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter has been elected as the new president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, the group announced Friday morning. Hunter, a 24-year law enforcement veteran and Columbia County native, takes over leadership of the group representing the state’s 67 county sheriffs from Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson. “The Florida Sheriffs Association could not […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida has completed its list of endorsements for Florida Cabinet and contested primary races for the Florida Legislature, announcing the backing of Republican Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis‘s re-election effort, and 30 legislative candidates. Though it has not yet been announced, the association, meeting this week in Marco Island, […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Tallahassee’s top prosecutor says he won’t pursue criminal charges against former state Sen. Jack Latvala. State Attorney Jack Campbell‘s decision, announced Thursday, had been eagerly awaited by the state’s political class – and by Latvala himself. Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, resigned in December after two damning reports on his alleged serial sexual harassment. He first served in the Senate […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Republican gubernatorial candidate and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam continued his almost clean sweep of state law enforcement endorsements Thursday with the announced backing of the Florida Police Chiefs Association. That endorsement adds to Putnam’s list that already includes the Florida Fraternal Order of Police, the Florida Police Benevolent Association and more than 40 county […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Gov. Rick Scott picked up another Florida business group’s endorsement with the announcement in Marco Island Thursday that the Associated Builders and Contractors of Florida is backing his campaign. Scott picked up the endorsement at the annual conference of the group, which represnts 2,500 general contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, and professional […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is getting the endorsement of two of the largest unions at Walt Disney World and from another representing hospitality workers in South Florida, with a formal announcement set for late Thursday in Orlando. UNITE HERE Locals 362 and 737, combining to represent 23,000 at Walt Disney World and other Central […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

President Donald Trump has become an issue in an Orange County Commission election. Mailers from the group Citizens for a Better Economy have gone out in District 4 attacking commission candidate Susan Makowski for allegedly being supported by Trump conservatives. “But Who is Political Insider Susan Makowski?” the mailer asks. “Supported by Trump conservatives.” The […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Under clouds raised by a lawsuit charging that he ran a veterans’ charity fraud, Orange County Republican State Committeeman Paul Paulson has resigned that post. Orange County Republican Executive Committee officials confirmed Thursday that Paulson has resigned, and the party will be filling his position late this summer. “This resolution allows everyone to move on […]

Scott PowersJuly 26, 2018

Former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine announced endorsements by state Rep.-elect Joe Casello and seven local officials for his Democratic gubernatorial bid Thursday. Casello, who earned the open Palm Beach County-based House District 90 seat by default as the only candidate who qualified for election, is one of several of officials’ endorsements Levine picked up from […]

Scott PowersJuly 25, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine sent a letter Wednesday to Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi essentially asking her to decriminalize marijuana for the time by instructing state attorneys to not prosecute small-amount possession cases until at least after the elections. Levine, who joined his fellow Democratic gubernatorial candidates Chris King and Andrew Gillum in June in […]

Scott Powers
Image via AP.

Columbia Sheriff Mark Hunter new sheriffs’ association leader

Jimmy Patronis, 30 legislative candidates get builders’ backing

Jack Latvala won’t be charged, prosecutor says

Police chiefs back Adam Putnam

Builders backing Rick Scott

Philip Levine getting Disney, South Florida unions’ backing

Group’s mailers seek to tie Orange County candidate to Donald Trump

Paul Paulson resigns Orange County Republican post

Philip Levine announces handful of local endorsements

Philip Levine calls on Pam Bondi to delay marijuana prosecutions