Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 2, 2015

Tampa hosts the Womens’ Final Four college basketball tournament this weekend, and if Indiana doesn’t get its act together on its controversial religious freedom legislation the event could return to the Cigar City next year, if Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has his way. “Sports teach us dedication, fair play and teamwork,” Buckhorn wrote to NCAA President […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 2, 2015

An old adage posits that all politics is local. It’s especially true in Jacksonville’s City Council District 7, where accusations are flying about the two remaining candidates: Democrats George Spencer and Reggie Gaffney. At the heart of it is the Rev. Ken Adkins, who made known his vigorous opposition to Corrine Brown‘s “Quick Picks” prior to the primary election. […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 2, 2015

The Jacksonville race for sheriff between Ken Jefferson and Mike Williams is heating up. Word is that third-place finisher Jimmy Holderfield is endorsing Jefferson on Thursday afternoon during an 2 p.m. event Jefferson’s campaign is billing a “major announcement” and a “gamechanger [of an] endorsement.” If true, this race will only get hotter. The announcement is scheduled to happen at Cleveland Arms Apartment […]

Mitch PerryApril 2, 2015

e’s lot of stories in the news this week about the Republican Party and social issues. Both Mike Pence in Indiana (considered a 2016 presidential possibility) and Asa Hutchison in Arkansas have asked for tweaks in their Religious Freedom Restoration Act bills, after the firestorm it’s created nationally, particularly amongst business groups. Another issue that […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 1, 2015

On Wednesday afternoon, we saw Senator Bill Nelson come to town on behalf of Mayor Alvin Brown, and this won’t be the last such public endorsement designed to help the Mayor. Just a few hours after that endorsement, the Duval County Republican Party countered with an email (“Top 4 similarities between liberal Democrat Bill Nelson and liberal […]

Christine Jordan SextonApril 1, 2015

The federal government has temporarily cut off Low Income Pool negotiations with Florida, making it difficult for the Legislature to complete its budget and bring the regular legislative session to an end on time. Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Liz Dudek sent a statement to the press late Wednesday announcing that the chief negotiator […]

Peter SchorschApril 1, 2015

Who would have guessed on primary night 2014 that the Florida Justice Association would look so formidable at halftime of this year’s Legislative Session? After playing and losing in a handful of Republican primaries that night, the FJA continued to take a political battering last cycle. They doubled down on Charlie Crist‘s close-but-no-cigar challenge to Rick […]

Mitch PerryApril 1, 2015

At an elaborate ceremony he acknowledged seemed as much a church revival as a political event, Bob Buckhorn was sworn in to his second term as Tampa’s mayor Wednesday. Buckhorn took office again with most people understanding that if things go his way, he won’t be be mayor four years from now. Instead, he would be […]

Guest AuthorApril 1, 2015

The ideological fissure that cleaves the Republican Party nationwide will be on display in Tallahassee as the legislative leadership labors to bring the state budget in for a landing by May 1. The critical issue, which on its face is about as exciting as watching paint dry, is whether to accept federal money to indirectly […]

Guest AuthorApril 1, 2015

Florida drew national media attention in 2008 when 2-year-old Caylee Marie Anthony of Orlando was reported missing. In the months and years that followed, her mother, Casey, was charged and ultimately acquitted of Caylee’s murder. Along the way she became society’s public example of a bad mother. During the months leading up to and after […]

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Bob Buckhorn makes play for Women’s Final Four in Tampa again next year

Jax District 7 race heating up; Ken Adkins adds pyrotechnics

Will Jimmy Holderfield endorse Ken Jefferson?

Mitch Perry Report for 4.2.15 — Florida Republicans and immigration

Email Insights: Duval GOP charges Alvin Brown with impersonating a lawyer

Dudek: Feds call temporarily halt to LIP talks with Florida

Takeaway from Tallahassee — Midway through 2015 session, Florida Justice Association emerging as early winner

In inaugural speech, Bob Buckhorn hints at bigger things for Tampa, himself

Jack Stevenson: Health care pits RINOS vs. Tea Partiers in budget fight

Melody Bowdon: Practical ways everyone can advocate for children