Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jac VerSteegJanuary 12, 2016

FAU professor James Tracy is creating an opening for Florida politicians who don’t like tenure and don’t like faculty unions. Because of Tracy’s case, tenure opponents could go on the attack and look good doing it. Tracy is the Florida Atlantic University communications professor who claims the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre is a […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 12, 2016

On a cold and bitter night, we stood across the street from Florida State Prison. Waiting. When Julie Solomon Bame suggested months earlier that we drive to Starke for the execution of the man who murdered our friend and high school classmate, Stephanie Anne Collins in 1986, a few of us agreed to go to […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 12, 2016

After Jim King became Florida Senate President in late 2002, he did something that today might seem radical on both sides of the aisle: he elevated members of the other party. Just a few weeks earlier, Florida Republicans had reached a new zenith in their political ascendancy. For the first time in modern history, not […]

Julie DelegalJanuary 11, 2016

When President Barack Obama announced his executive actions on guns last week, parents of children slain by bullets stood behind him. Jordan Davis’ mother, Lucia McBath, was one of them. McBath and Ron Davis were thrust into every parent’s nightmare in late 2012 when their 17-year-old son, Jordan, was shot and killed outside a Gate […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2016

Ahead of the first Jacksonville City Council reading of the Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) expansion bills, the Jacksonville Coalition for Equality held its second news conference with faith leaders on Monday, a cold day in Springfield’s Klutho Park. The statement that 102 faith leaders of the Abrahamic faiths signed: Love and respect for one’s fellow […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 11, 2016

Florida Gov. Rick Scott wants $250 million for corporate incentives. Americans for Prosperity – Florida, however, lambastes his proposal as “crony politics” and “corporate welfare.” Andres Malave, AFP-Florida’s communications director, noted in an email Monday that “last week Governor Scott put out an ad to garner more attention for his request for another $250 million dollars […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 7, 2016

The New Year brings with it opportunity to reflect on 2015 and use it as a foundation to set a strong course for the year ahead. The Office of Financial Regulation (OFR) is the primary regulator of Florida’s financial services industry, covering securities and consumer finance as well as state-chartered banks and credit unions. As […]

Rich TemplinJanuary 6, 2016

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Once again, the media is abuzz and many in the Florida Legislature are absolutely giddy at the prospect of what they call a budget surplus this year. State fiscal analysts are predicting a surplus of about $635 million and the Governor’s Office, using a bit of fuzzy math that no one outside of his administration […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 6, 2016

Tampa House Democrat Janet Cruz is emotionally torn. The HD 62 Representative has worked hard over the past year in working to fundraise and recruit candidates to run for the state House in 2016, all part of her job duties as she is scheduled to become the incoming House Minority Leader in 2017. It’s a […]

Phil AmmannJanuary 5, 2016

Recent, alarming news coverage of the rape kit testing backlog problem here in Florida shines a much-needed light on the overall issue of identifying and prosecuting sexual predators — and we need to remember that this is an issue of child safety as well as adult safety. In a country where nearly 70 percent of […]

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Jac VerSteeg: FAU professor James Tracy's case helps anti-tenure forces

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Waiting for a murderer to die

Chris Hand: Jim King’s legacy still holding court

Julie Delegal: Crossing over: Parents of slain son fight gun violence

Jax faith leaders call for HRO expansion

Americans for Prosperity slams Rick Scott for “crony politics,” “corporate welfare”

Drew Breakspear: Fighting fraud and serving Floridians in 2015

Rich Templin: The great Florida surplus myth

Janet Cruz undecided about whether to run for new Senate seat

Lauren Book: Rape crime testing and child assaults