Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsApril 13, 2018

In campaigns, there is always a watershed moment when all the gauzy, aspirational rhetoric fades — like so many temporary tattoos — replaced by the hard realities of campaign finance and infrastructure. For races on the 2018 ballot, we are there — even if some candidates haven’t figured it out. If one is looking to […]

Scott PowersApril 12, 2018

Congressional letters signed by a large majority of Florida’s delegation are urging congressional leaders to support full funding not just for NASA’s next spacecraft and rocket but for critical upgrades at Kennedy Space Center to launch them. The letters to chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees subcommittees overseeing space have drawn signatures of […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 11, 2018

The Democratic primary in Florida’s 5th Congressional District, a cartographical anomaly that sprawls from downtown Jacksonville west to Tallahassee, saw some moves this week by both incumbent Al Lawson and challenger Alvin Brown. Lawson’s campaign showed its first signs of engagement, with the hire of self-styled “hip-hop lobbyist” Phillip Singleton as the campaign’s “senior advisor,” handling fundraising and outreach. […]

Staff ReportsApril 6, 2018

Squawking about chicken this week led to a parking lot showdown, then lockdown, for a Congressman’s son. The Tallahassee Democrat reports that Alfred Lawson III, the son of Rep. Al Lawson, “is facing battery and aggravated assault charges after investigators say he tried to run over a gas station clerk on Tuesday.” As of Thursday evening, Lawson was […]

Phil AmmannApril 6, 2018

In this week’s Bold, a recurring motif … pitched political speech. From a senator saying the president could kick off the next Great Depression, to a gubernatorial campaign telling an opponent is DOA, the knives were out. Shivs went toward Jacksonville’s mayor for exploring the value of JEA. And toward a chair of a local party […]

Staff ReportsMarch 30, 2018

Flowers are blooming. The chill of March fades into April and May heat. And just like the cycle of nature, the cycle of campaigns is kicking off anew. In Congressional races, we are starting to see real action. Political action committees are kicking up, and so is the end of quarter fundraising. What this means: […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2018

On Wednesday, former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown picked his home turf for his first official campaign stop in his congressional campaign. Brown, running against Tallahassee Democrat Al Lawson in the August primary in the east/west North Florida district, picked AGAPE Health to message on health care. The location was not incidental: AGAPE CEO, former state Rep. Mia Jones, […]

A.G. GancarskiMarch 28, 2018

Former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, a candidate for Congress in Florida’s 5th Congressional District, is promoting what he calls on Twitter a “big fundraiser” Wednesday evening. He will be accompanied by Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Congressional Black Caucus member who endorsed Brown over incumbent Democratic Rep. Al Lawson. Lawson, a Democrat from Tallahassee, is seen by many Jacksonville […]

Staff ReportsMarch 23, 2018

Readers may note a focus on campaigns in Jacksonville Bold this week. With the Legislative Session over, we are now heading into campaign season. While Gov. Rick Scott seeks the right time to launch his bid for the U.S. Senate against Bill Nelson, facing no primary competition if he does so, pretty much everyone else […]

Scott PowersMarch 16, 2018

Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto has received endorsements from all ten of the other Democratic members of Congress from Florida, his re-election campaign announced Friday. The announced endorsements would come as no surprise and seemingly fill no particularly-urgent campaign purpose, since Soto’s only opponent thus far in Florida’s 9th Congressional District is a Republican, St. Cloud […]

Tag: Al Lawson
Stock image via Adobe.

Jacksonville Bold for 4.13.18 — Infrastructure week

Florida’s delegation presses for Kennedy Space Center launch support money for NASA’s next big rocket

Al Lawson hires ‘hip-hop lobbyist’, Alvin Brown plays to right-wing radio

Chicken beef spawns assault and battery charges for Congressman’s son: Report

Jacksonville Bold for 4.6.18 — Shiv season

Jacksonville Bold for 3.30.18 — And the campaigns begin

Alvin Brown talks health care, congressional campaign

Congressional hopeful Alvin Brown promotes ‘big fundraiser’ in Jacksonville Wednesday

Jacksonville Bold for 3.23.18 — Five months to go

Darren Soto endorsed by 10 other members of Fla. congressional district