Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayMarch 24, 2015

The Florida Credit Union Association today announced the recipient of their 2014 best-legislator award: House Speaker Steve Crisafulli. “Today, we recognize Speaker Crisafulli as our 2014 Lawmaker of the Year and thank him for his support of the Florida Credit Union Association,” said Patrick La Pine, the group’s president and CEO in a statement on Tuesday. “Speaker Crisafulli […]

Ryan RayMarch 24, 2015

Rep. Bryan Avila faced pointed scrutiny in the House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday, as he shepherded a bill that would circumscribe the way cities and local governments can use red-light cameras to detect traffic infractions at intersections. HB 7071 seeks to limit the amount of infraction-based revenue cities get to spend on […]

Mitch PerryMarch 24, 2015

President Barack Obama‘s diplomatic breakthrough with Cuba in December has been met mostly with approval in the Tampa Bay area from political and business leaders. A Pinellas County delegation visited the communist island for the first time in January, while the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce is planning another visit in May. Tampa area U.S. […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 24, 2015

With little to no fanfare the House Civil Justice Subcommittee early Monday deferred action on a bill aimed at snuffing out the lawsuits of 4,500 smokers and their families who have sued cigarette manufacturers but still await trial. Subommittee Chairman Rep. Kathleen Passidomo announced at the beginning of the meeting that the bill, HB 1067, […]

Mitch PerryMarch 24, 2015

A new poll shows that a majority of Floridians would prefer that neither Jeb Bush nor Marco Rubio should run for president next year. Only 37 percent of Florida voters think Bush should run for president, while 52 percent said he shouldn’t, according to the Public Policy Polling survey published Tuesday. The numbers for Rubio are almost […]

Melissa RossMarch 24, 2015

Add Jacksonville’s North Florida Land Trust to the chorus of outrage over the Legislature’s proposal for the Amendment 1 budget. Amendment 1 passed overwhelmingly in November. The measure is designed to dedicate 33 percent of revenue from excise taxes to protect the state’s land and water resources. Now environmental groups like the NFLT are furious that […]

Mitch PerryMarch 24, 2015

FloridaNationalGuard-e1421280337853-600x378-1024x1024.jpg

Last year, a proposal in Tallahassee that would allow people to carry a concealed weapon without a license while evacuating an emergency was met with resistance from law enforcement, and didn’t come to pass. After bill sponsor Sen. Jeff Brandes made some tweaks this year, though, the Florida Sheriffs Association endorsed it, and that seemed […]

Bruce RitchieMarch 24, 2015

Heads up Parrotheads! Margaritaville meets Florida politics in a couple weeks at the historic Capitol in Tallahassee. Jimmy Buffett, accompanied Mac McAnally and Robert Greenidge, will play a short acoustic music set during an Everglades Day Rally on April 7, event organizers say. Buffett, who has developed a legion of “Parrothead” followers, is no stranger to Tallahassee […]

Phil AmmannMarch 24, 2015

At Virginia’s Liberty University, Ted Cruz made it official. The Texas senator declared his long awaited White House bid on Monday with a passionate 30-minute speech, calling to “reignite the promise of America.” Cruz, a tea party firebrand, became the first in a soon-to-be-very-crowded Republican field with an event at the bastion of Christian conservatism; […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 24, 2015

While waiting for Lenny Curry and his family to arrive at Southside United Methodist Church, Curry spokesman Brian Hughes asked me to get out a calculator, to demonstrate that the Democratic advantage in raw vote totals was indeed shrinking. I subtracted the raw Republican vote totals from those on the Democrat side, and the spread was 3,400, a net […]

Uncategorized

Florida credit unions name Steve Crisafulli 2014 ‘Lawmaker of the Year’

House red-light camera bill rolls through committee stop

Senate denounces Obama overture to Cuba

Bill to limit tobacco lawsuits snuffed by House subcommittee

New PPP survey shows Jeb Bush losing momentum in Florida

North Florida Land Trust howls over Amendment 1 funding

Senate OKs gun bill allowing concealed carry during emergencies

Heads up Parrotheads! Jimmy Buffett to play Capitol for Everglades

Bill Day’s latest: The “Cruzzard” takes flight

Lenny Curry, family vote; Jax voter trend may be GOP