Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2016

Former Florida Democratic Party state chairman Bob Poe revealed Thursday he’s HIV-positive. The 61-year-old Democrat says in a video that he’s healthy because he got tested and diagnosed early, but he wanted to share his condition publicly to “remove the fear, the stigma and the shame that goes with this.” “It’s those things that keep people from getting the […]

Mitch PerryJune 9, 2016

The campaign for House District 68 Democratic candidate Ben Diamond announced Thursday that the St. Petersburg attorney had raised over $100,000 in his first full month of fundraising in May — with $75,752 of that into his direct campaign committee. An additional $30,000 went into “Protecting Pinellas Families,” a political committee associated with Diamond’s campaign. […]

Mitch PerryJune 7, 2016

With Democratic state Rep. Dwight Dudley now running for a judgeship in Pinellas County, the House District 68 member can’t endorse anyone in the race to succeed him this fall. His wife can, obviously, and so on Tuesday, Mary Rachel Dudley, Dudley’s longtime spouse, announced she was backing St. Petersburg attorney Ben Diamond in the contest. “He is the best candidate to carry […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2016

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn is weighing on a race dividing Democrats in Pinellas County, backing St. Petersburg attorney Ben Diamond in the House District 68 contest. “Ben Diamond is an asset to Tampa Bay,” Buckhorn said in a statement released Thursday. “His commitment to fairness and his experience in Tallahassee make him the best candidate to help move […]

Peter SchorschMay 31, 2016

In the race for House District 68, Eric Lynn is transferring a rather large amount of money into his political committee. While Lynn’s primary opponent, Ben Diamond, may have been rolling out endorsements, Lynn is rolling a yuuuuuuge amount of money into a vehicle to communicate his message. Citing a June 2014 memo from the Florida Division of Elections and a letter from his own attorney, Lynn will begin his […]

Mitch PerryMay 27, 2016

The somewhat improbable Tampa Bay Lightning run for a second straight appearance in the Stanley Cup ended last night around 11 p.m. when they lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1. The Lightning were pretty thoroughly outplayed if you go by shots-on-goal, but the last eight minutes or so […]

Mitch PerryMay 26, 2016

Tampa Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor is endorsing St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond in the campaign for the open House District 68 seat. “Ben is a strong leader on issues that matter to us in Tampa Bay,” Castor said in a statement released by the Diamond campaign on Thursday. “Ben’s work on the Florida Water and […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2016

For the last week, the political news media has been obsessed with the likely Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton general election confrontation. Although he has been the front-runner throughout 2016, Trump’s big victory over Ted Cruz in Indiana last week prompted Cruz and John Kasich to quit the race, and by last Wednesday, Trump was your GOP […]

Mitch PerryMay 10, 2016

(Updated) St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond announced his candidacy for the House District 68 seat in Pinellas County on Monday, April 25. In the six days leading up to the campaign’s first fundraising deadline on April 30, he was able to raise an impressive $28,366. “I’m running for the Florida House because I want to fight for Pinellas […]

Mitch PerryMay 9, 2016

Joseph “JB” Bensmihen hasn’t been in Pinellas County very long. In fact, he officially became a resident only within the last week. So while you might consider that fact alone makes him a decided underdog in the now wide-open Pinellas County state House District 68 seat, he doesn’t. And he has an impressive history of exceeding people’s […]

Tag: Ben Diamond
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

Mitch Perry Report for 6.10.16 — Bob Poe’s courage

HD 68 candidate Ben Diamond announces that he’s raised over $100,000 in May

Dwight Dudley’s spouse backing Ben Diamond in HD 68 race

Bob Buckhorn endorses Ben Diamond in the HD 68 race

Committed to running for House District 68, Eric Lynn to roll $500,000 into political committee

Mitch Perry Report for 5.27.16 — Lightning strikes no more

Kathy Castor is backing Ben Diamond over Eric Lynn in HD 68 race

Mitch Perry Report for 5.11.16 – Hillary’s weak close

HD 68 Dem candidate Ben Diamond raises over $28,000 in one week on the campaign trail

Pinellas newcomer Joseph ‘JB’ Bensmihen is convinced he will win the HD 68 seat this fall