Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiOctober 17, 2018

Democratic Attorney General candidate Sean Shaw excoriated Republican opponent Ashley Moody Wednesday, saying she should be disqualified from the race over donations he believes are dubious. At issue: Moody accepting money from private prison contractor GEO Group. In a news release Tuesday, Shaw deemed taking the money as “disqualifying,” vowing to take steps as Attorney General to investigate abuse […]

Peter SchorschOctober 17, 2018

In the first poll since Hurricane Michael devastated the Panhandle — and changed the course of state politics — the race for Florida Governor is virtually tied. Twenty days before Election Day, Democrat Andrew Gillum is at 47 percent, while Republican Ron DeSantis is at 46. However, among those who say they have already voted, DeSantis […]

Jacob OglesOctober 17, 2018

Democratic state Senate candidate Mel Martin issued a demand to debate new Republican opponent Tommy Wright in the race to succeed the late Dorothy Hukill. “The voters of Senate District 14 are long overdue a debate on the issues that affect their families and communities,” Martin said. “They deserve to hear from both of us […]

Scott PowersOctober 16, 2018

Republican Gov. Rick Scott tapped his own wealth in August and September to the tune of more than $18 million to fuel his U.S. Senate campaign. The contributions, listed in the latest campaign finance reports covering the period of Aug. 9-Sept. 30, brings Scott’s total personal contributions to his campaign to almost $39 million, accounting […]

Jacob OglesOctober 16, 2018

A new Vice News investigation is spotlighting declines of in-person voting in Manatee County under Supervisor of Elections Mike Bennett. The report notes that since his election in 2012, Bennett reduced the number of polling places in the county by 30 percent in, primarily by consolidating precincts in black and Latino areas. The news outlet […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 16, 2018

Andrew Gillum is confronting Florida voters with mixed messages as he approaches the home stretch of his Democratic bid for Governor. Gillum’s campaign debuted two new ads on Tuesday, the three-week mark ahead of the Nov. 6 Election Day. One, a negative attack on his Republican opponent Ron DeSantis, criticizes the former congressman’s voting record on Medicare […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2018

Republican gubernatorial nominee Ron DeSantis burnished his environmental credentials Tuesday, scoring an endorsement from the Everglades Trust. At the same time, another enviro group accused him of trying to “greenwash himself.” The Trust already had endorsed him in the primary over Adam Putnam, who they characterized as a pay-to-play agent of the sugar industry. In contrast, DeSantis […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott is dedicated largely to post-Michael recovery these days, and a new ad from his campaign is designed to remind voters of that fact. “With the campaign nearly over, let’s take a behind the scenes peek at both candidates,” the narrator observes. Scott is “leading hurricane recovery, directing relief efforts, and even housing state […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 16, 2018

A group of Republican Sheriffs from Central Florida endorsed Republican Ron DeSantis for Governor on Tuesday, spotlighting the alleged “anti-police” radicalism of Democrat Andrew Gillum in the bargain. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd distilled the pro-DeSantis case neatly: “When I looked at this election, I asked myself a simple question that every voter should ask themselves: Do you want […]

Drew WilsonOctober 16, 2018

The Ron DeSantis campaign has added a plethora of high-power politicos for the closing weeks of the race for Florida Governor, including reinforcements in campaign communications and political consulting. Under the leadership of Susie Wiles, who helmed Donald Trump’s Florida campaign two years ago, Team DeSantis has added numerous campaign veterans. Wiles started bringing on […]

Headlines

‘Disqualifying’: Sean Shaw slams Ashley Moody for dubious donations

Post-Michael poll: Andrew Gillum, Ron DeSantis deadlocked; Rick Scott narrowly leads Bill Nelson

Mel Martin demands debate with new SD 14 opponent Tommy Wright

Rick Scott pours another $18 million of his money into U.S. Senate campaign

Vice News scrutinizes Manatee County minority voting decline

Andrew Gillum goes high — and low — in two new ads

Sweet deal: Everglades Trust vouches for Ron DeSantis’ environmental record

New Rick Scott ad spotlights storm relief efforts

Central Florida Sheriffs slam ‘anti-police’ Andrew Gillum, back Ron DeSantis

All hands on deck: Ron DeSantis campaign staffs up for final sprint