Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 10, 2019

Winter Park’s Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy just got a seat at the grown-ups table in the House of Representatives, joining the House Ways and Means Committee. Murphy, just starting her second term, announced late Wednesday that she had been appointed to the chief tax-writing committee, with oversight on federal programs such as Medicare, Social Security […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 10, 2019

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson. Look for Gov. Ron DeSantis to announce today that Noah Valenstein will continue serving as Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, sources briefed on the personnel decision tell Florida Politics. […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 10, 2019

By now, Florida lawmakers surely realize continuing to fight the expansion of medical marijuana is reefer madness. Gov. Ron DeSantis apparently is in that camp. He is ready to stop the state’s legal battle to keep patients from smoking prescribed medical weed. Is that actual common sense coming out of Tallahassee? Sure sounded like it. Some […]

Ryan NicolJanuary 9, 2019

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Former Broward County Supervisor of Elections Brenda Snipes won a partial court victory late Wednesday after a federal judge decided she must have a hearing on her suspension by former Gov. Rick Scott. That hearing must be held before March 31, according to North Florida Chief U.S. District Judge Mark Walker. Snipes filed a lawsuit against […]

Danny McAuliffeJanuary 9, 2019

The Florida Transportation Commission will soon submit to Gov. Ron DeSantis a shortlist of three candidates to lead the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). The nine-member panel met in person and by phone on Wednesday to discuss 12 applicants who had sought the state agency gig. Commission members whittled the list to five and will attempt […]

Jacob OglesJanuary 9, 2019

Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation validating same-sex marriage in Florida, the same day equality advocates criticized Gov. Ron DeSantis for failing to address LGBTQ rights in a new non-discrimination order. The oversight added urgency to legislation formally repealing Florida’s Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1997 statute declaring Florida only recognizes marriage between a man and a woman. […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 9, 2019

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With Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday appointing appellate judge Barbara Lagoa to fill a vacancy on the state’s Supreme Court, leaders in law, politics and business reacted: — Attorney General Ashley Moody: “As the first Cuban-American woman to serve on the 3rd District Court of Appeals and the author of more than 300 majority opinions, her […]

Scott PowersJanuary 9, 2019

Seminole County Commissioner and former State Sen. Lee Constantine may be in line to take over the Seminole County Supervisor of Elections post after Mike Ertel became Florida Secretary of State Tuesday. Constantine, a Republican, said Wednesday evening that he was contacted by the transition team of Gov. Ron DeSantis to see whether he might […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorJanuary 9, 2019

On the day felons started registering under Florida’s newly approved Amendment 4, voter rolls in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties swelled by a considerable amount — more than 400 voters each. According to Supervisor of Elections offices, Hillsborough registered 434 people, Pinellas added 438. Under Amendment 4, overwhelmingly approved by voters last November, nonviolent felons previously barred from […]

Scott PowersJanuary 9, 2019

Florida’s senior U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has been elected chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee for the 116th Congress. Rubio, whose campaigns and agenda have long emphasized the importance of small businesses and entrepreneurship to the American Dream, succeeds U.S. Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, who last week was named the chair […]

Headlines

Stephanie Murphy grabs seat on powerful Ways and Means Committee

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics — 1.10.19

Joe Henderson: Florida needs to stop fight against smoking medical marijuana

Brenda Snipes gets partial win in court fight over suspension as Broward elections supervisor

Panel to interview five candidates to lead Department of Transportation

Democrats seek repeal of law defining marriage as only between man, woman

Newsmakers react to Barbara Lagoa’s Florida Supreme Court appointment

Lee Constantine contacted about Seminole elections post

Amendment 4 hints at wave of new voters in Hillsborough, Pinellas

Marco Rubio will lead Senate’s small business committee