Tampa Bay

Mitch PerryJanuary 30, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-01-30-at-7.10.42-PM.png

Three candidates vying in the House District 72 special election engaged in their first — and likely only — televised debate Tuesday night, two weeks before voters decide Feb. 13. Republican James Buchanan, Democrat Margaret Good, and Libertarian Alison Foxall all appeared on the hourlong debate (with commercials) aired on WWSB, the ABC affiliate in Sarasota. Anchor Alan […]

Jeff RosenfieldJanuary 30, 2018

The Town of Belleair’s 2018 mayoral election is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing races in Pinellas County, as longtime incumbent Gary Katica continues to dismiss his relatively unknown challenger, Spencer Connerat, in the lead-up to Election Day March 13. Katica has been mayor of the small Pinellas County community for the […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 29, 2018

Clearwater Republican Ed Hooper picked up a pair of endorsements for his state Senate campaign Monday from clerks of court in Pasco and Pinellas counties. “Ed Hooper knows who how to get things done. In the Senate, we can count on him to make sure our voices are heard and our needs fought for. There […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2018

Victor Crist is hitting back hard at comments from Democrat Mariella Smith and her campaign over his intention to extend his career on the Hillsborough County Commission by running for the District 5 countywide seat. Smith is one of five Democrats seeking an opportunity this year to take on the GOP incumbent this fall. The Smith […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 29, 2018

Two Pinellas County Republicans want reassurance that students at the University of South Florida’s two smaller sister campuses will receive “significant benefits” under a proposed plan to consolidate the three-campus system into a single university. Citing “years of distrust between campuses” in a letter to USF Board of Trustees Chair Brian Lamb, state Rep. Chris […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 29, 2018

Freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist brought in about $486,000 during the final three months of 2017, putting his re-election campaign past the $2 million mark for the year. Crist’s year-end report isn’t viewable yet on the Federal Elections Commission website, though the Crist campaign said it started 2018 with about $1.76 million in the […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 26, 2018

Pinellas County GOP chair Nick DiCeglie joins several heavyweight lobbyists in Tallahassee next month to fundraise in support of his bid for term-limited Larry Ahern’s House District 66 seat. The event begins 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Governors Club Board Room, 202 S. Adams St. in Tallahassee. Among those big conservative names on the […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 26, 2018

There’s something shady going on with CareerSource Pinellas and CareerSource Tampa Bay, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist wants to know whether the U.S. Department of Labor has any oversight in place and if changes are needed to prevent fraud in the future. The first-term congressman, who represents Pinellas County, sent a letter Thursday to Labor […]

Peter SchorschJanuary 26, 2018

The state university system’s Board of Governors said Thursday it was fully behind a plan to combine the three USF campuses, but the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce said lawmakers need to “hit pause” on the consolidation plan. Republican Rep. Chris Sprowls added a provision to the House higher education bill, HB 423, that would […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 25, 2018

Five Democrats have already filed for the Hillsborough County Commission District 5 seat, but there’s no doubt the Party establishment is putting all their chips behind community activist Mariella Smith. Congresswoman Kathy Castor, former Education Commissioner Betty Castor and current County Commissioner Pat Kemp were part of Smith’s kickoff event Tuesday night. An audience of around […]

Tampa Bay

House District 72 candidates hold first TV debate in Sarasota

Belleair Mayor Gary Katica refuses to debate challenger

Ed Hooper endorsed by Pasco, Pinellas clerks of court

Victor Crist calls Mariella Smith a ‘political wannabe’ with little to show for herself

Legislative leaders seek reassurance as USF consolidation plan moves ahead

Charlie Crist tops $2 million raised for re-election bid

Nick DiCeglie sets high-powered Tally fundraiser for HD 66 bid

Charlie Crist wants answers on CareerSource oversight

University system says unified USF ‘just makes sense,’; St. Pete Chamber says ‘slow down’

Mariella Smith says facing Victor Crist is like ‘David and Goliath’