Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJanuary 22, 2018

— Tampa Bay ranks third statewide in job creation — Tampa Bay added 28,000 new private-sector jobs in the last year, the third-highest number of jobs among all Florida metro areas. In a statement this week from Gov. Rick Scott, Tampa Bay’s unemployment rate had dropped to 3.4 percent, down 1.1 percentage points from the same […]

Drew WilsonJanuary 15, 2018

Republican Ardian Zika added another $10,205 to his campaign account last month, putting him further ahead of the competition in the three-way primary race to replace House Speaker Richard Corcoran in House District 37. Zika’s haul came in across 45 contributions, more than half of which were small dollar donations of $50 or less. He […]

Drew WilsonDecember 13, 2017

New candidates have filed for the House seats being vacated next year by House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Pensacola Republican Rep. Frank White. Filing for Corcoran’s seat was New Port Richey Democrat Tyler Sambucci, who joins Republicans Bill Gunter, Elle Rudisill and Ardian Zika in the race for Pasco County-based HD 37. Corcoran, a Republican, […]

Drew WilsonNovember 10, 2017

Republican Ardian Zika posted a solid fundraising report for October with $23,000 raised and an on-hand total of $124,000 in the race to replace House Speaker Richard Corcoran in House District 37. Zika took in 44 contributions last month, including 15 for the maximum donation of $1,000. His spending clocked in at just $1,250 – […]

Mitch PerryOctober 30, 2017

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is the latest leading county Republican name to back Ardian Zika‘s candidacy for the House District 37 seat next year. “Ardian Zika will fight for Florida students in Tallahassee,” Browning said Monday in a statement from the Zika campaign. “With five young children, Ardian knows and understands firsthand the importance of providing […]

Drew WilsonOctober 11, 2017

Election Day is 13 months away but a handful of rock star candidates, both Republicans and Democrats, have already started to break away from the pack in crowded races for open House seats. Most of them saw a dip in September – blame it on the rain – but each remains the leader in their […]

Mitch PerryOctober 9, 2017

Former House Speaker Will Weatherford is endorsing Ardian Zika for the Pasco County-based House District 37 seat. “I’ve known Ardian Zika for the past decade, and he is absolutely the best person to represent District 37 as our State Representative,” said Weatherford in a statement. “Ardian’s story is one of hard work and dedication. He is proof that if you […]

Mitch PerryOctober 3, 2017

Florida Senate Majority Leader Wilton Simpson is the latest Republican to endorse Ardian Zika in the Pasco County-area House District 37 race for 2018. “Ardian Zika’s story is a modern-day story of the American Dream,” Simpson said Tuesday in a statement from the Zika campaign, referring to the Land O’ Lakes businessman’s background, which includes […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 18, 2017

House District 37 hopeful Ardian Zika raised more than $100,000 last month, putting him far ahead of the other candidates vying for the Pasco County seat held by termed-out House Speaker Richard Corcoran. The Land O’ Lakes businessman, who filed Aug. 1, brought in $101,457 and spent only $555 leaving him comfortably over the six-figure […]

Mitch PerryAugust 1, 2017

Land O’ Lakes business owner and banker Ardian Zika is the latest Republican to file to run for the Pasco County state House seat being vacated by term-limited Richard Corcoran. The 37-year-old Zika was born in the former Yugoslavia and emigrated to the U.S. from Kosovo in 1997. “I’m the product of American exceptionalism and […]

Tag: Ardian Zika
Sen Rick Scott in Sarasota. Photo by Jacob Ogles.

Not Just A Body Of Water — A weekly newsletter about Tampa Bay politics — 1.21.18

Ardian Zika extends fundraising lead in HD 37 primary race

New candidates sign up to succeed Richard Corcoran and Frank White in 2018

HD 37 Republican Ardian Zika adds $23K in October

Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning supporting Ardian Zika in HD 37

Hurricane impacted fundraising efforts of top-tier legislative candidates

Will Weatherford endorses Ardian Zika for HD 37 seat in 2018

Wilton Simpson latest Republican to back Ardian Zika in HD 37 race

Ardian Zika raises $100K in first month of campaigning for HD 37

Pasco businessman Ardian Zika to run for House District 37 seat