Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaAugust 24, 2015

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A legislative push to commingle whiskey and Wheaties will be back for a third time before Florida lawmakers next year. A coalition of national big-box stores and their allies will meet within the next two weeks to work on this year’s strategy, spokeswoman Christina Johnson said. Wal-Mart, Target and others formed Floridians for Fair Business […]

Staff ReportsAugust 20, 2015

According to a Senate spokesperson, the Senate will not convene Thursday at 3 p.m. as was originally planned. Instead, Senate redistricting Chair Bill Galvano will meet with House maps chief Jose Oliva after the House’s Thursday Session. See notice below.

Associated PressAugust 14, 2015

Despite sharp criticism from a Florida congresswoman that it would disenfranchise black voters, the Florida House is moving ahead with a substantial overhaul of the state’s 27 congressional districts. A House panel split along party lines on Thursday and approved a proposed map that would substantially alter the state’s political landscape and which could lead […]

Mitch PerryJuly 29, 2015

The president of the Lakewood Ranch Republican Club, Steve Vernon, has become the second candidate to file for Sarasota Representative Greg Steube‘s House seat in 2016, as reported by the Bradenton Herald. However, neither Vernon nor Joe Gruters, the other announced candidate in the contest, say they want to actually challenge Steube in the House […]

Brendan FarringtonJuly 29, 2015

Legislative leaders announced Tuesday they will hold a Special Session to redraw the state’s 40 Senate districts after the chamber acknowledged it violated the state constitution by creating maps that benefit Republicans and incumbents. The decision comes less than three weeks after the state Supreme Court threw out the congressional districts the GOP-dominated Legislature approved, […]

Mitch PerryJuly 9, 2015

The battle over Medicaid expansion in the Florida Legislature was an intense, emotional issue for many in Tallahassee this year. It was an internecine battle, as House Republicans fought Senate Republicans over expanding health care coverage and a Senate fix to the Low Income Pool program. At times the battle got personal, with some ascribing less than […]

Ryan RayJuly 9, 2015

Thursday’s landmark Florida Supreme Court decision invalidating eight congressional districts drawn by the Legislature sends shock waves through Florida’s balance of power. That’s true nowhere more than in the northern third of the state, where a national debate in the courts over U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown‘s 5th Congressional District continued to bleed into adjacent districts. […]

Mitch PerryJuly 6, 2015

Although lawmakers are never pleased when their projects are vetoed out of the state budget, Don Gaetz says the way Gov. Rick Scott handled those vetoes last month still rankles him. “I’ve always had vetoes of projects that I was interested in,” the Niceville senator said of bills axed by Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie […]

Phil AmmannJune 30, 2015

Florida lawmakers just wanna have fun – to borrow a line from Cyndi Lauper. As summer breaks all over the country, Floridians look forward to visiting vacation spots both at home and across America. The Florida Senate is no different. In the 75-odd days until committee meetings start for the 2016 Legislative Session, a newly announced […]

Phil AmmannJune 26, 2015

As the combative issue of Florida gambling once again heats up, No Casinos calls the renewed debate a simple matter of “bad faith,” which they warn shouldn’t be rewarded. This week, the Seminole Tribe of Florida sent a five-page letter to Gov. Rick Scott and other legislative leaders vowing to continue providing banked card games, […]

Tag: Bill Galvano

Grocery retailers aim to push “Whiskey and Wheaties” redux in 2016

Senate to convene Friday to take up final map redraw

Florida House panel OKs congressional map despite criticism

In wake of redistricting situation, Sarasota’s Greg Steube contemplates future

Florida Legislature will return to redraw Senate maps

Jack Latvala calls attacks on state senators, spouses in health care “reprehensible”

Court-ordered congressional boundary changes could wreak electoral havoc in North Florida

Don Gaetz still vexed by some Rick Scott vetoes

Florida Senate Majority puts the ‘fun’ in fundraising during summer break

No Casinos: Don’t reward Seminole Tribe threats on Compact renewal