Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersFebruary 1, 2017

Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson broke the suspense Wednesday afternoon when he announced he intends to vote against President Donald Trump‘s pick to be Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, whose family has strong ties in Nelson’s Orlando hometown. With defections of two Republican U.S. senators who announced earlier that they would vote against DeVos, the […]

Associated PressJanuary 26, 2017

The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 4:50 p.m. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer now says slapping a 20 percent tax on imports from Mexico is just one of several options on the table for paying for a wall along the southern border. Spicer says President Donald Trump has yet to make […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 18, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court’s decision not to take up a contentious school vouchers lawsuit continued to garner reaction throughout Wednesday. Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for U.S. Education Secretary, tweeted, “Congrats to the Florida families who have a clear path toward more opportunity due to #SchoolChoice w/ today’s FL Supreme Court decision!” Florida House […]

Joe HendersonJanuary 18, 2017

Betsy DeVos, whose children never attended public schools, may soon lead the nation’s Department of Education. Assuming she is confirmed, care to take a guess what Florida public education will look like four years from now? Perhaps former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is DeVos’ biggest cheerleader, can provide some insight. He wrote a stirring […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 17, 2017

In an interview last week with FloridaPolitics.com, Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, blasted Betsy DeVos, Donald Trump’s nominee for Education Secretary. Weingarten compared DeVos’ zeal for school-choice vouchers on par with what former Gov. Jeb Bush was all about during his reign in Florida. Debbie Wasserman Schultz agrees. Hours before DeVos is […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 17, 2017

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Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran and state Reps. Jose Oliva and Jose Felix Diaz have signed on to a letter supporting Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump‘s pick for Education Secretary. They’re among nearly 150 “state-level elected leaders in all 50 states” who say they support DeVos, a wealthy Republican donor who carries financial and political […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 5, 2017

We’ve heard from several Florida Democrats (such as Kathy Castor and Charlie Crist) that, when appropriate, they look forward to working with President-elect Donald Trump once he takes office later this month. The question for them and other Democrats concerned about their own poll numbers as well as what’s good for the country is where and when they decide to go along with Trump […]

Mitch PerryDecember 12, 2016

Approximately thirty people gathered in Tampa’s Lykes Gaslight Park on Monday to participate in a protest by women and their “allies in solidarity” against what they call Donald Trump’s hate. The event was one of at least two dozen being held around the nation. In New York, protesters were gathering at Columbus Circle at 2 p.m., where they were then […]

Mitch PerryDecember 8, 2016

For the #NeverTrumper Republicans out there, this Trump presidency might work out pretty well, after all. Jeb Bush was seen doing cartwheels after Trump selected Betty DeVos to become his Secretary of Education. “I’m so excited,” Bush said last week at the National Summit on Education Reform, sponsored by the Foundation for Excellence in Education, which Bush founded and chairs and […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterNovember 28, 2016

Florida leaders praised Donald Trump’s choice of education secretary, calling Betsy DeVos an excellent pick. The president-elect announced Wednesday he tapped DeVos, 58, to lead the federal agency. The choice reinforces his pledge to make school choice an education priority. In September, he pledged to funnel $20 billion in existing federal dollars into scholarships for […]

Tag: Betsy DeVos

Bill Nelson declares he’ll vote against Betsy DeVos; vote may come down to Mike Pence

Sean Spicer says 20 percent tax on Mexican imports just an option

Officials, others respond to school vouchers case

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos could mean more Florida charter schools, a lot more

Debbie Wasserman Schultz says Betsy DeVos will take U.S. schools down a path of failure ‘Florida knows all too well’

Florida House leaders support Betsy DeVos in letter

Mitch Perry Report for 1.5.17 – Poll says voters want Dems like Bill Nelson to fight Donald Trump when necessary

Women slam Donald Trump in Tampa as part of a national day of protest

Mitch Perry Report for 12.8.16 – Al Gore gets punk’d

Florida school choice advocates praise selection of Betsy DeVos as education secretary