Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorNovember 5, 2015

Talk about having a flighty state of emotions. When I first read Florida Board of Governors’ (FLBOG) member Alan Levine’s op-ed published in the Tallahassee Democrat, I went from “Hmm” to “Ugh” to “Hell nah!” Everyone likely believes that the battle for Middle Earth – err, FAMU (geek moment!) has been won. Those who attempted […]

Bob SparksNovember 5, 2015

Political opinion polls can be useful, but they can also be dangerous in a figurative sense. Those thinking the election is over because a poll says so can be in for the shock of their lives. Polls can get it wrong in a big way. We have some recent examples. Going into Tuesday night’s statewide […]

Mitch PerryNovember 5, 2015

I received a text message Wednesday night saying that the Tampa Bay Sierra Club had embraced Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman‘s late-hour plan to fund transportation projects, which sounds like a larger-size version of what the club sought this past summer. You remember, it asked the county to began raising mobility fees and the […]

Guest AuthorNovember 4, 2015

Lately I’ve been imagining the creation of a new office in the executive branch: a Therapist General to advise the president and the nation about psychological problems affecting U.S. citizens, groups and institutions. The person assuming the role could issue an annual report about the state of the nation’s mental health, investigate and report on […]

Guest AuthorNovember 4, 2015

The exciting energy frontier that hydraulic fracturing represents is one of the best-kept secrets in Florida. The process consists of blasting a water, chemical, and proppant solution under high pressure to create fissures in rocks, which then allows the release of the oil and hydrocarbons locked within. Current dialogue, unfortunately, ignores the tremendous benefits offered […]

Guest AuthorNovember 4, 2015

Do you remember where you were Nov. 6, 1986? I do. I walked into Chamberlain High School, in North Tampa, and over to my friend’s locker to wish her a happy birthday. I don’t remember the friend, she is one of those faceless, nameless acquaintances we meet in high school and soon forget. But I […]

Steve VancoreNovember 4, 2015

It was trumpeted (pun intended) as an “Exclusive Poll” for Bay News 9, and it showed Trump so far in the lead we just had to scratch our heads. Anytime you have an outlier poll with unusual findings it is vital that you turn a skeptical eye to the results – and so we did. […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 4, 2015

The talk from informed parties isn’t going away: former Jacksonville City Council President Clay Yarborough is leaning strongly toward taking a run at the House Distgrict 12 seat, to succeed Lake Ray. That would set up a three-way dance among three former two-term Republican district council people. Now in the race are Richard Clark and […]

Guest AuthorNovember 4, 2015

I was doing research about Florida’s astonishingly efficient bear hunt and I came across an equally astonishing analogy. The chairman of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wrote this about hunting: “Think of it as nature’s Whole Foods.” In fairness to Brian Yablonski, here’s that nugget in context: “Hunting is the first and original […]

Ryan RayNovember 3, 2015

Amid reports of low turnout in Orlando municipal elections, Democratic Mayor Buddy Dyer defeated Republican veteran and businessman Paul Paulson by a wide 63-to-33 margin on Thursday. “Sunshine“ Lisa Grund, a local medical student, took in about 4 percent of the vote. District 4 City Commissioner Patty Sheehan also scored another term against challengers Randy Ross, who gathered 20 percent of the vote, and Aretha […]

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Chris Timmons: Just who is FAMU’s biggest critic?

Bob Sparks: Polls have recently missed the mark; how about the GOP presidential field?

Mitch Perry Report for 11.5.15 – A Hillsborough transportation plan without a sales tax?

Barry Mauer: The United States could use a Therapist General

Sarah Maricle Ayers: Weigh facts on fracking before banning its benefits

Catherine Durkin Robinson: Thank you, Governor Scott, for signing this man’s death warrant

Salt Shaker Test applied to latest Florida GOP PPP poll

Clay Yarborough poised to enter HD 12 fray

Tom O’Hara: They don’t sell bear meat at Whole Foods

Incumbents win the day in Orlando as Buddy Dyer, Patty Sheehan, Sam Ings win