Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonOctober 5, 2017

Republican Rep. Matt Caldwell picked up an endorsement Wednesday for his campaign for agriculture commissioner from former colleague and current U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz said was backing Caldwell “because he is a consistent conservative.” The first term congressman represents likely the most conservative U.S. House district in Florida and his endorsement looks to drum up […]

Staff ReportsOctober 5, 2017

The state’s Department of Economic Opportunity announced it will co-host a series of business roundtables “to highlight programs available to assist individuals, communities and businesses that have been affected by Hurricane Irma.” The first event is today, 1-2 p.m., in Daytona Beach, at Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce, 126 E. Orange Ave. Later today, another will be held 4:30-5:30 p.m. […]

Mitch PerryOctober 4, 2017

While some Republicans are criticizing Democrats for “exploiting” the Las Vegas shooting, Tallahassee Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum says he worries it might only embolden state Republicans to come up with their own pro-gun legislation when they convene in January. “Without a doubt, somebody is going to propose a bill that says we got […]

Scott PowersOctober 4, 2017

Citing the recently disclosed mammoth hack of the Equifax credit ratings company that had occurred last spring, Florida’s Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio sent a letter to the Security and Exchange Commission Wednesday urging it to require companies to make prompt disclosures of hacks that could affect consumers. Rubio said in his letter to SEC […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2017

In the wake of Hurricane Irma’s epic flooding last month, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam sounded a dire warning about Florida’s citrus crop. In Southwest Florida, 80 percent of an already diminished crop was lost, posing an “existential” threat to the sector, Putnam told WUSF last month. Gov. Scott talked to Putnam directly before a Jacksonville media availability […]

Associated PressOctober 4, 2017

State officials say Hurricane Irma caused more than $2.5 billion in damage to Florida’s agricultural community. Irma dealt Florida’s iconic orange crop the most devastating blow causing more than $760 million in damage. Beef cattle and dairy were next with $237 million and nearly $12 million respectively. The preliminary assessment was released Wednesday by Florida Commissioner […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 4, 2017

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has been a valuable resource for the Trump Administration as they have grappled with the devastation in Puerto Rico. On Friday, for example, Scott talked to President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence about what he saw when he went last week — a prelude to President Trump’s own visit. Yet Gov. […]

Scott PowersOctober 4, 2017

Saying, “they are for killing,” Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson sponsored a bill Wednesday to ban so-called “bump stocks” like the ones Las Vegas police say Stephen Paddock used in his deadly slaughter Sunday night in Las Vegas. “I’m a hunter and have owned guns my whole life,” Nelson stated in a news release. “But […]

Mitch PerryOctober 4, 2017

With Florida’s Cuban population, the state’s Latino vote has generally skewed more conservative than other states with large groups of Hispanics. In the Donald Trump era, new polling shows that’s no longer the case. Taken two weeks ago, a Latino Victory-Latino Decisions poll of 369 Florida Latinos gives only 36 percent support to the president; […]

Scott PowersOctober 4, 2017

Democratic Congressional District 18 candidate Pam Keith has received the endorsement and backing of VoteVets, a progressive-politics organization dedicated to helping elect military veterans to Congress and other levels of government, her campaign announced Wednesday. Keith, a Navy veteran and labor lawyer from Palm Beach Gardens, is now in a Democratic primary battle with Lauren Baer, […]

Headlines
Buccaneers QB Teddy Bridgewater. Image via AP.

Matt Caldwell snags endorsement from Matt Gaetz

DEO, partners hold hurricane recovery roundtables

Andrew Gillum: GOP will go ‘overboard’ on guns

Marco Rubio after Equifax hack: companies should be reporting quickly

Rick Scott addresses Florida’s citrus crisis

Hurricane Irma causes $2.5B in damage to Florida crops

Rick Scott on Puerto Rico: ‘Whatever you need, we’ll be there for you’

Bill Nelson sponsors bill to ban bump stocks for assault weapons

Florida Latinos down big time on Donald Trump, GOP, polling shows

Pam Keith gets backing of VoteVets in CD 18 race