Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayAugust 20, 2015

Gretna City Commissioner Clarence Jackson announced Thursday via a theatrical campaign ad that he’s jumping into a now four-way race for an open seat in House District 8. The all-Democratic field seeks to succeed term-limited Rep. Alan Williams in HD 8, which takes in all of Gadsden County – the state’s only majority-minority county – and the southern […]

Ryan RayAugust 12, 2015

Two candidates with no party affiliation have jumped into state Senate races in South Florida. Mario Jimenez has jumped into the race against Hialeah Sen. Anitere Flores in SD 39. The longshot candidate is running on a single-issue platform of reforming the state’s Department of Children and Families and family law courts, which he says oversees both […]

Ryan RayAugust 10, 2015

It’s more than a year out from 2016 legislative elections, normally a quiet time when warring factions retreat to their camps and use the odd-numbered year to strategize and keep their powder dry. But with recent drama surrounding the race for the 2021-22 speakership, state party infighting involving sitting House Rep./RPOF Chairman Blaise Ingoglia and an imminent […]

Ryan RayJuly 24, 2015

House District 49 Democratic candidate Carlos Guillermo Smith announced to a rally of fast food workers he will stand with them in gesture of solidarity by agreeing to temporarily live on Florida’s minimum wage $8.05 an hour. The move, which liberal legislators such as Sen. Dwight Bullard and Rep. Cynthia Stafford have mirrored in the past, comes amid […]

Ryan RayJuly 24, 2015

Orlando activist Tiffany Namey, a staple on the left-leaning political circuit in “the City Beautiful,” said Friday she won’t seek the Democratic nomination in House District 30 to challenge first-term Altamonte Springs Republican Rep. Bob Cortes. As first reported by Frank Torres in The Orlando Political Observer, Namey cited personal and strategic reasons for taking a pass […]

Ryan RayJuly 16, 2015

Little-known political novice Joseph Wilkinson was never much of a threat to the incumbency of Republican Rep. Jamie Grant of Tampa, but now he has completely removed himself from consideration by voters in HD 64 altogether. Wilkinson, also a Republican, had not reported raising any contributions. Grant, for his part, has raised $25 ahead of his 2016 reelection campaign. […]

Ryan RayJuly 11, 2015

Democratic House candidate Ramon Alexander took in $12,154 in June fundraising from more than a hundred donors to add to his steep lead in contribution totals over fellow Democrat Brad Johnson in House District 8. Alexander’s haul takes his fundraising total to $70,649 overall in as he seeks to succeed term-limited Rep. Alan Williams in HD 8, which takes […]

Ryan RayJuly 9, 2015

Democrat Edward James III won’t hold yet his first official fundraiser until next week, but that hasn’t stopped him from raising about a thousand dollars a day since he entered the race last month. James has raised a total of $30,175 according to just-released campaign finance reports, an unusually high figure for a Democratic newcomer. A majority […]

Ryan RayJuly 2, 2015

Orange County classroom teacher Sean Ashby announced his intention to seek the House District 50 seat in east central Florida to be vacated by Rep. Tom Goodson, who is switching districts. Ashby will face current HD 49 Rep. Rene Plasencia, who has filed for the Republican-leaning seat to avoid being bounced after one term, like his […]

Ryan RayJune 22, 2015

As ever in the term limits era, the makeup of the Republican House majority is set to shift in terms of personnel, if not necessarily in degree of dominance. As the very House-inflected Rep. Matt Gaetz seeks to take over his father Sen. Don Gaetz‘s spot in the Legislature’s upper chamber, a Walton County commissioner has […]

Tag: 2016 State Legislative Campaign Coverage

Gretna Commissioner Clarence Jackson files for 2016 House run in HD 8

Two South Florida state Senate races pick up NPA filers

2016 House field continues to shape up in central Florida, Tallahassee

House candidate Carlos Smith accepts minimum wage challenge

Activist Tiffany Namey to stay out of HD 30 race in Orlando

Joseph Wilkinson, Jamie Grant’s sole opponent, drops out in HD 64

Ramon Alexander rakes in $12k in June to top $70k overall in HD 8

First-time candidate Edward James tops $30k in HD 72 fundraising

Democrat Sean Ashby launches 2016 bid in HD 50 amid House seat-swapping

Amid legislative turnover, new House candidates reach for safe GOP seats