Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschJuly 21, 2016

They’ve raised money in California. They’ve raised money in Maine. Now, Florida’s Republican state senators are coming home, hosting a major fundraiser next week in Orlando. The Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (the FRSCC) will host a fundraising reception July 28 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Headlining the event are Senate President-designate Joe […]

Mitch PerryJuly 12, 2016

Florida’s House District 70 is one of the most creatively designed districts in the state Legislature, encompassing parts of Sarasota, Manatee, Pinellas AND Hillsborough counties. With incumbent Darryl Rouson term-limited out later this year, four men are vying for the seat — Republican Cori Fournier, and Democrats Wengay Newton, Dan Florini and C.J. Czaia. Czaia, a Palmetto-based attorney, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 11, 2016

The group behind an advertisement targeting a Southwest Florida state Senate hopeful says there is no basis to pull it from circulation. The Fort Myers News-Press reported Jason Maughan sent a cease-and-desist letter last week to try to get stations to stop airing a commercial attacking him. The request came after a 30-second spot dramatizing […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 24, 2016

You might want to call them instant winners. As of 5 p.m. Friday, a dozen Florida Senate candidates appeared to win their elections when the qualifying period ended without them drawing opposition. Newcomers Lauren Book and George Gainer were among those candidates who did not draw an opponent. Gainer, a Bay County Republican, ran unopposed […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJune 24, 2016

RTXA96W-voter-at-ballot-election-1024x640-1024x1024.jpg

Southwest Florida will have closed primaries in two state Senate races, after write-in candidates filed to run for office in the waning days of the qualifying period. Lizbeth Benacquisto will face Jason Maughan in the Senate District 27 Republican primary. On Tuesday, Cape Coral resident Dakota Austin Eads filed and qualified to run for the […]

Joe HendersonJune 24, 2016

Two key Republicans will be returning to the Florida Senate in new districts and without opposition. Bill Galvano of Bradenton and Tom Lee of Brandon were the only candidates to meet Friday’s noon filing deadline and thus have been assured of returning to Tallahassee. Lee’s political future had seemed uncertain after court-ordered redistricting could have […]

Peter SchorschJune 16, 2016

Five months from Election Day, Republican Sens. Jeff Brandes, Jack Latvala, Tom Lee and Bill Galvano are still running unopposed. The only two bay area Senate seats in contention so far are the Senate District 18 contest between Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young and Democrat Bob Buesing and the three-way Democratic primary going down in SD 19. Young had built up quite the lead in her jump to the […]

Joe HendersonJune 15, 2016

I’m a little surprised by Tom Lee’s decision to run for re-election to the state Senate. Along with just about everyone else in the media and Florida politics, I’ve had lengthy chats with Lee about his future since a judge drew new district lines that essentially forced him to make a tough decision. Because his […]

Mitch PerryJune 14, 2016

After months of deliberation, Hillsborough County Republican Tom Lee has apparently decided to run for re-election to the newly created Senate District 20 seat later this fall. The Tampa Bay Times first reported the news. Lee is currently serving in Senate District 24, a seat he won back in 2012. It was a return to […]

Phil AmmannJune 6, 2016

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is lending a hand to state Sen. Bill Galvano in the race for newly redrawn Senate District 21, which now covers Brandon, Sun City Center and Wimauma. Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools reports that Putnam, a former congressman who represented parts of southern Hillsborough County for nearly a decade, will be […]

Tag: Bill Galvano

Republican state senators plan major fundraiser for July 28 in Orlando

C.J. Czaia says he’ll make a real difference if elected in HD 70

Political committee says it ‘stands by facts’ in spot targeting Jason Maughan

Instant winners aplenty in Florida Senate races

Write-in candidates qualify in two Southwest Florida state Senate races

Tom Lee, Bill Galvano to remain powerful GOP voices in Senate

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay legislative races

Joe Henderson: Tom Lee’s tough, surprising choice

Tom Lee to run for SD 20 seat

Adam Putnam lends a hand to Bill Galvano for Wimauma meet-and-greet Tuesday night

Florida politics had 11 questions before federal qualifying week. Here are the answers.