Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschFebruary 8, 2017

Four-term state Rep. Ben Albritton is launching a bid for Florida Senate. Albritton, the Wauchula Republican who represents House District 56, filed Wednesday for the Senate District 26 seat. SD 26 covers a wide swath of Central Florida from Charlotte and Glades counties through southern Polk County. Currently holding the seat is Denise Grimsley, the Lake Placid Republican […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 8, 2017

In its first week in office, the Trump administration froze new scientific grants at the Environmental Protection Agency. That fueled concerns amongst some in the scientific community that it will be a rough four years in Washington. Since the presidential election, more than 5,000 scientists, including many Nobel Prize winners, have signed an open letter urging President Trump and Congress […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 8, 2017

A Florida House committee advanced a bill Wednesday to implement statewide regulations on ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft. Sponsored by Republicans Chris Sprowls of Palm Harbor and Jamie Grant of Tampa, HB 221 addresses issues that have been vexing state lawmakers for the last three Sessions. If passed, drivers would need to carry insurance coverage worth $50,000 for […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 8, 2017

National Republicans, in an effort to boost their majority for the midterms, are targeting top House Democrats over the next two years – including Florida’s Charlie Crist and Stephanie Murphy. POLITICO first reported on the list of 36 lawmakers coming from the National Republican Congressional Committee, with a particular focus on “blue-collar parts of the […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 8, 2017

Patients, caregivers and activists offered emotional – and often searing – testimony Wednesday in a Tampa workshop held by the state office that regulates medical marijuana. In a standing-room-only meeting for the Office of Compassionate Use, they discussed proposed rules on medical marijuana that could go into effect later this year. The agency’s rule-making workshop […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 8, 2017

Florida sugar workers are the latest to come out strongly against Joe Negron’s Senate proposal to create a $2.4-billion, 60,000-acre reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee for Everglades water storage. In a joint letter sent Wednesday from Sugar Labor Management Committee, IAMAW District 166, Florida State Council of Machinists, and Local 2152 (Osceola & Okeelanta), union […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 8, 2017

The current owners of two Kraft Foods companies are going to court over a disputed $25 million in Florida corporate income tax. Intercontinental Brands LLC, which now owns Kraft Foods Global Brands, and Intercontinental Great Brands LLC, which owns Kraft Foods Holdings, on Tuesday sued the state Department of Revenue in Leon County Circuit Civil court. […]

Associated PressFebruary 7, 2017

The 2016 election is never far from President Donald Trump‘s mind. When Trump met Tuesday with a group of sheriffs from around the country, he saw not just lawmen but battleground states. Trump talked about his victories with officials from Pennsylvania and North Carolina. And when a sheriff from Minnesota introduced himself, Trump said if […]

Associated PressFebruary 7, 2017

Now that he’s left the White House, former Vice President Joe Biden will split his time between programs at the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania. Officials announced Tuesday that Biden will establish a new domestic policy institute at the University of Delaware and will head a foreign policy institute for the University […]

Michael MolineFebruary 7, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott accused House leaders Tuesday of political posturing on Florida’s economic- and tourism-development programs. “It’s pretty clear. If you don’t care about people’s jobs, you must be caring about something else,” Scott told reporters following a Cabinet meeting. “What else can it be? How can anybody say, ‘We don’t want to help a poor family […]

Headlines
Buccaneers QB Teddy Bridgewater. Image via AP.

Ben Albritton launches campaign for Denise Grimsley’s Senate seat

Bill Nelson says any attempt to intimidate scientists ‘must be stopped’

House advances bill for statewide ride-sharing regulations

Charlie Crist, Stephanie Murphy among top GOP targets for 2018

At medical marijuana hearing in Tampa, citizens blast proposed rules

Florida Sugar Union blasts Joe Negron’s ‘job killing’ Lake O reservoir plan

Multimillion-dollar Florida tax battle heads to court

Donald Trump still fixated on 2016 election results

Post White House, Joe Biden collaborating with 2 universities

Rick Scott accuses House leadership of playing politics on economic development