Tampa Bay

Drew WilsonJune 19, 2018

State Rep. Jake Raburn announced Monday that he is not running for a fourth term in the Florida House this fall, citing the need to spend more time with family. “The past six years have been the most surreal, humbling, overwhelming, exciting, challenging and gratifying on my journey thus far,” said Raburn, a Lithia Republican, in […]

Drew WilsonJune 18, 2018

Clearwater Republican Ed Hooper is hitting TV screens throughout Senate District 16 this week with a pair of 30-second ads. Depending on where in the Pinellas- and Pasco-based district viewers live, they’ll see a different version of the ad. The ad airing in North Pinellas on Spectrum features an introduction from Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. […]

Drew WilsonJune 15, 2018

Aakash-Patel-Hillsborough-County-Commission-candidate-District-1.jpg

Tampa Republican Aakash Patel snagged an endorsement from House Speaker Richard Corcoran in his bid for the countywide District 7 seat on the Hillsborough County Commission. “I’ve gotten to know Aakash through his work with the Early Learning Coalition and have seen him put conservative initiatives to work to bring early education to more children […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

As any observer of Florida politics will tell you, this 34-year-old Palm Harbor Republican is on the move. First elected to House District 65 over Democratic incumbent Carl Zimmerman in 2014, Chris Sprowls had little difficulty getting re-elected in 2016 against Democrat Bernie Fensterwald. At this point, 2018 appears to be shaping up the same way. Sprowls currently serves as […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

The last time anyone asked, Tampanians overwhelmingly said they approve of the job Bob Buckhorn has done as Mayor of Tampa. Back in November, some three-quarters of 350 Tampa residents surveyed said they approve of his performance, and most said the city is headed in the right direction — that was before Raybor was a thing. In […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

Given that he’s the incoming Senate President, there’s no way Bill Galvano wouldn’t have landed at or near the top of the list. The Bradenton Republican representing Senate District 21, will lead his chamber over the 2019 and 2020 legislative sessions by determining legislative priorities and setting the tone of the conversations it has with the House […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

As the 2017 mayoral race ramped up last year, re-election was never a sure thing for incumbent St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. It was far from it at times. Yet despite a significant challenge from former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker, who was often ahead in the polls, he and his allies pulled it off. Whether it […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

An egg farmer by trade, Wilton Simpson currently serves as Senate Majority Leader. The Trilby Republican’s prestige doesn’t end there, though. Simpson, 51, is slated to become Senate President in 2020, on the heels of incoming Senate President Bill Galvano. (Both presidencies, of course, hinge on GOP dominance in that chamber following the 2018 and 2020 elections.) Voted […]

Kate BradshawJune 15, 2018

Whether it’s a string of good decisions — or that she has had an impossibly charmed life in politics thus far — Congresswoman Kathy Castor doesn’t really seem capable of having a bad year. Yet the Tampa Democrat has certainly been an underdog more than once; first, as a Hillsborough County Commissioner in the Ronda Storms era, […]

Drew WilsonJune 15, 2018

The Pinellas County Commission has selected Southern Strategy Group (SSG) to handle its lobbying needs in Tallahassee for the next two years. SSG was one of several firms to respond to the Pinellas Commission’s call for contract proposals and, as reported last week, their pitch made the shortlist alongside Dean Mead and GrayRobinson. Dean Mead had held […]

Tampa Bay

Jake Raburn won’t seek re-election in 2018

Ed Hooper hits the airwaves in SD 16

Richard Corcoran backs Aakash Patel for Hillsborough Commission

#1 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Chris Sprowls

#2 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Bob Buckhorn

#3 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Bill Galvano

#4 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Rick Kriseman

#5 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Wilton Simpson

#6 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Kathy Castor

Southern Strategy Group lands Pinellas Co. lobbying contract