Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMay 23, 2017

Tom Delacenserie, the outgoing secretary of the Florida Lottery, is getting a pay raise to become the new president and CEO of the Kentucky Lottery. Delacenserie, who submitted his resignation to Gov. Rick Scott last week, will be paid $204,000 a year. His current Florida state salary as agency head is $141,000. Delacenserie was confirmed […]

Mitch PerryMay 23, 2017

Though the 2018 congressional elections are still a year and a half away, the news headlines continue to make Democrats believe that 2018 will be a wave election that could see them take over the House of Representatives. It won’t be easy, even if the daily revelations from Washington continue to chip away at President Donald […]

Staff ReportsMay 22, 2017

Florida-Approves-5-Nurseries-To-Grow-Medical-Marijuana-1024x1024.jpg

The Drug Free America Foundation is adding its voice to those calling for a Special Session on Medical Marijuana Implementation, according to a Monday press release. “It is critical that our leaders call a special session to complete the unfinished business of implementing Amendment 2,” said Calvina Fay, executive director of the Foundation. “Moreover, it is short-sighted to […]

Staff ReportsMay 22, 2017

Laura Lenhart is joining Frontier Communications as its head of government and regulatory affairs for Florida, the company announced last week. “We are delighted to welcome Laura as a strong addition to the Frontier team,” said Allison Ellis, Frontier’s senior vice president for regulatory affairs, in a statement. “As we continue to execute our growth […]

Jim RosicaMay 22, 2017

With the state Supreme Court’s decision last week striking down the possibility of a slot machine expansion, what’s next? A unanimous court ruled against pari-mutuels seeking to add slot machines in counties that passed a referendum in support of them: Brevard, Duval, Gadsden, Hamilton, Lee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie and Washington. Those concerns are holding […]

Phil AmmannMay 22, 2017

State Rep. Heather Fitzenhagen is offering her Southwest Florida constituents a list achievements of the 2017 Legislative Session, which ended May 8. During the last two weeks of Session, the Fort Myers Republican said in an email that lawmakers spent a majority of time on House floor debating the state’s “Tax Package” and the upcoming […]

Peter SchorschMay 21, 2017

Freshman House Republicans are inching closer to picking their leader, holding a weekend caucus meeting to hear from candidates. A majority of GOP freshmen met this weekend at a Central Florida law firm to discuss the 2022 Speaker’s Race. The meeting, which was first reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, comes about a week after […]

Jim RosicaMay 21, 2017

Screen-Shot-2017-01-26-at-1.25.54-PM.png

Costco now is joining Wal-Mart, Target and others in one last push to get Gov. Rick Scott to sign a bill to remove the ‘wall of separation’ between hard liquor and other goods. Their Floridians For Fair Business Practices coalition on Friday released a tranche of letters sent to Scott encouraging him to OK the legislation (SB […]

Mitch PerryMay 19, 2017

As House Minority Leader Janet Cruz notes, the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation works “as a united front” when representing their community in Tallahassee. That’s true on issues like the eleventh-hour move by the Florida Senate to push the University of South Florida out of pre-eminent status under a conformity education budget bill that passed in the […]

Scott PowersMay 19, 2017

Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewart is urging Gov. Rick Scott to veto the late-passed education bill, charging its new funding formula would cut public school budgets in a non-recession year for the first time in memory. “This bill has a consequential, negative impact to our state’s school system, and not only hurt our state’s children, […]

Influence

Tom Delacenserie taking over Kentucky Lottery

GOP mocks national Dems for ‘zero chance’ of beating Vern Buchanan in 2018

Drug Free America Foundation wants marijuana Special Session

Personnel note: Laura Lenhart joins Frontier Communications

Pari-mutuels subdued on next steps after Supreme Court slots decision

Heather Fitzenhagen highlights Session wins for Southwest Florida

Speaker’s race heads toward June 30 vote after weekend meeting

Big-box chains, others make one last push for ‘whiskey & Wheaties’

Hillsborough state legislators clash in Tampa Chamber Session review

Linda Stewart urges Rick Scott to veto education bill