Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonJune 19, 2018

State Rep. Jake Raburn announced Monday that he is not running for a fourth term in the Florida House this fall, citing the need to spend more time with family. “The past six years have been the most surreal, humbling, overwhelming, exciting, challenging and gratifying on my journey thus far,” said Raburn, a Lithia Republican, in […]

Drew WilsonJune 18, 2018

New candidates filed Monday for three Republican-held seats in the state Legislature. In Senate District 2, Fort Walton Beach Democrat Mary Jeanne “Gigi” Gibson is challenging Panama City Republican Sen. George Gainer. Gibson is currently Gainer’s only real challenger — Pensacola Republican Jantzen Craine has had his name down to run for the seat since 2015, but has not […]

Drew WilsonJune 18, 2018

Clearwater Republican Ed Hooper is hitting TV screens throughout Senate District 16 this week with a pair of 30-second ads. Depending on where in the Pinellas- and Pasco-based district viewers live, they’ll see a different version of the ad. The ad airing in North Pinellas on Spectrum features an introduction from Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri. […]

Drew WilsonJune 18, 2018

Florida retailers are endorsing Lakeland Republican Sen. Kelli Stargel’s re-election for Senate District 22. Florida Retail Federation President/CEO R. Scott Shalley said in an announcement Monday: “In her role as Senate Finance & Tax Chair this past year, Senator Stargel showed continued leadership in her support of Florida’s retailers by including in the tax package a […]

Drew WilsonJune 15, 2018

Hillsborough School Board member Susan Valdes, now running for House District 62, slammed Democratic primary opponent Mike Alvarez Thursday for running a negative campaign. At issue is Valdes’ resign-to-run letter. A new law signed by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year requires elected officials to turn in a resignation letter for their current office 10 days […]

Drew WilsonJune 14, 2018

Representing more than 500 labor unions and 1 million Florida workers, the Florida AFL-CIO announced Thursday it’s backing House Minority Leader Janet Cruz in her bid to unseat incumbent Republican Dana Young in Senate District 18. “We need a fighter for workers in Tallahassee — to lower health care costs, raise wages, and make sure the […]

Drew WilsonJune 14, 2018

Incumbent Democrat Daphne Campbell has received another stack of local endorsements in her campaign for a second term in Miami-Dade based Senate District 38. Announcing their support for Campbell are Golden Beach Mayor Glenn Singer, Biscayne Park Mayor Tracy Truppman, El Portal Mayor Claudia Cubillos, Miramar Mayor Wayne Messam, North Bay Village Vice Mayor Adreana Jackson, […]

Drew WilsonJune 14, 2018

There’s a new chapter in the saga of Susan Valdes’ resignation from the Hillsborough School Board. Valdes, now a candidate for House District 62, faced a June 8 deadline to get her resignation letter to the Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections office to meet the requirements of the new resign-to-run law signed by Gov. Rick Scott […]

Drew WilsonJune 13, 2018

Susan Valdes’ resignation from the Hillsborough School Board may not have been above-board, something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by one of her Democratic primary opponents in House District 62. As previously reported, Valdes’ resignation from the District 1 School Board seat came in late and was initially rejected by the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections […]

Drew WilsonJune 13, 2018

Republican Chip LaMarca, currently a Broward County Commissioner, released a campaign video this week in support of his bid to succeed Republican Rep. George Moraitis in House District 93. The 90-second video, “Working for You,” highlights LaMarca’s roots in the Broward County district before delving into his pitch on how he would improve the quality […]

Tag: 2018 legislative races

Jake Raburn won’t seek re-election in 2018

North Florida lawmakers draw re-election challengers as qualifying begins

Ed Hooper hits the airwaves in SD 16

Florida retailers endorse Kelli Stargel for re-election

Susan Valdes sidesteps special treatment allegations, refers questions to attorney

Florida AFL-CIO backs Janet Cruz for SD 18

Daphne Campbell adds seven local endorsements for SD 38 re-election bid

Emails show Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections bent rules for Susan Valdes

Mike Alvarez weighs in on Susan Valdes resignation controversy

Chip LaMarca releases first campaign video in HD 93 bid