Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

Tampa City Councilman Mike Suarez is feeling confident in his bid for re-election to his District 1 seat next month. Unlike four years ago, where he was competing against four other candidates in his first bid for elected office, Suarez is in solid shape with less than three weeks to go in his primary contest, […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 11, 2015

Floridians for Fair Business Practices (FFBP) announced today the addition of several new coalition members joining the fight to take down the state’s Prohibition-era alcohol/grocery separation laws. New members include the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, and the Big Bend Minority Chamber of Commerce. In addition, nearly 2,000 Floridians so far have signed a petition […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

In recent years Tampa City Council members like Mary Mulhern, Yolie Capin, Harry Cohen and Charlie Miranda have made trips to the communist island, as more and more of the political and business establishment say they want the city to be in the best position if and when the now 53-year-old economic embargo ends. Since […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 11, 2015

Ballard Partners today announced the addition of Donald Payton as a senior associate in its Orlando office. Payton has 35 years of experience working in the public policy arena with most of his time being focused on the education field. He will bring his expertise in education policy and appropriations to the Ballard Partners team. “Don’s extensive background in education policy and the […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 11, 2015

I admit it, I fell for it hook, line, and sinker. But so, too, did Marc Caputo of Politico and Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. The con? That U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has developed an elaborate fall-back plan to run for Florida governor in 2018 if he a) runs for president and does not […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 11, 2015

LSN Partners announced today that prominent Republican strategist Jesse Manzano-Plaza has joined the firm. And with Manzano-Plaza’s hiring, LSN is starting a new company division — LSN Communications. LSN Communications will be a bipartisan, bilingual consultancy, providing full-service public relations, public affairs, media relations, crisis communications and issue advocacy services to existing clients and creating […]

Melissa RossFebruary 11, 2015

With plenty of trash talking and an uncanny ability to zero in on their subjects’ idiosyncracies, the satirical Twitter pages mocking the three men running for Jacksonville mayor have become an entertaining sideshow in the closely watched contest. Of course, anonymously written parody accounts have become a Twitter staple, sending up everything from Pharell’s choice […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 11, 2015

There have been just a handful of forums in this year’s Tampa City Council campaign to date, but one theme has risen above the rest: Downtown Tampa is doing very well, perhaps even thriving. That’s a great thing, but the city needs to spread the wealth out to the rest of its many neighborhoods in […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorFebruary 10, 2015

An up-and-coming IT guy learned the hard way how old comments can come back to bite, especially in the era of rampant social media. Ethan Czahor, the brief Chief Technology Officer for former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s Super PAC, has resigned from his almost-post after a series of lewd tweets were discovered on his Twitter […]

James CallFebruary 10, 2015

Jeb Bush brought a nascent presidential campaign — it’s in the “seriously-considering-a-potential-run” stage — Tuesday to Tallahassee. Florida’s former governor raised about $300,000 for his political action committee and basked in the adoration of supporters at an education summit. The fundraiser was sponsored by some of Tallahassee’s leading lobbying firms, as was the education summit […]

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Anna Maria Island home after Hurricane Milton.

Mike Suarez goes on air in re-election bid for Tampa City Council

Battle grows for repeal of Florida alcohol/grocery separation laws

Tampa City Council candidates favor hosting a Cuban consulate

Personnel note: Ballard Partners adds Don Payton to its Orlando office

Is “Marco for Governor” a wolf ticket?

Personnel note: Jesse Manzano-Plaza, Ben Pollara launch new bipartisan comms division of LSN Partners

Fake Twitter accounts poking fun at Jax mayoral candidates fly in 140 characters

Mitch Perry Report for 2.11.15 — The biggest concern among Tampa residents this election year

Jeb Bush aide who tweeted inappropriate remarks resigns

Jeb Bush planning a big hairy audacious campaign