Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJanuary 8, 2015

Although the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for same-sex marriage to come to Florida this week when they held parts of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional back in 2003, it was only Section 3 of the 1996 law that actually they actually tossed out as unconstitutional in Windsor v. United States. Specifically, […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 8, 2015

Florida State University “student-athlete” Jameis Winston surprised absolutely no one yesterday when he declared he’ll be leaving FSU early to enter the NFL draft this spring. His declaration came on the same day that a woman who accused the star quarterback of raping her in 2012 filed a federal lawsuit against Florida State on Wednesday, alleging that the […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 8, 2015

Florida State University “student-athlete” Jameis Winston surprised absolutely no one yesterday when he declared he’ll be leaving FSU early to enter the NFL draft this spring. His declaration came on the same day that a woman who accused the star quarterback of raping her in 2012 filed a federal lawsuit against Florida State on Wednesday, alleging that the […]

Mitch PerryDecember 29, 2014

Tis the season for year-end lists, so here’s this reporter’s take on the 10 biggest/most interesting developments over the past year in Tampa Bay/Florida politics. 1 – The Florida Democratic Party hits rock bottom. There are a number of reasons why Rick Scott beat Charlie Crist, and the Crist camp’s notion that the $12 million […]

Associated PressDecember 20, 2014

For decades, the politics of Cuba in Florida were simple: anything less than a hard line stance against Fidel Castro was a sure way to lose a race for office. President Barack Obama’s surprise decision this week to restore diplomatic relations with the communist nation is the surest sign yet that his is no longer […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2014

A task force assembled by Florida Democratic Party chair Allison Tant in the wake of the midterm election debacle for Democrats had their first meeting on Tuesday, and the thoughts of the two co-chairs were illuminating. “We know we have to take a critical look at ourselves internally at ourselves,” acknowledged former Orlando Police Chief […]

Mitch PerryNovember 21, 2014

Democratic Party political adviser Steve Schale and Republican consultant Adam Goodman are two of the very best strategists in Florida, so it was entertaining to hear the two pontificating about this month’s election results in Florida on Friday. Speaking at a Tampa Tiger Bay event at Maestro’s restaurant inside the Straz Performing Arts Center on […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 17, 2014

Nearly 70 years ago, when the Florida Democratic Party was a monopoly, the political scientist V. O. Key Jr., saw a problem that haunts it to the present day. In Florida, he wrote, it was “every man for himself.” Individual candidates built their own organizations, which dissolved when they left office or gave up running. […]

Peter SchorschNovember 6, 2014

When a candidate loses an election, there’s a tendency to ask what could have been done differently. Coulda, woulda, shoulda is a natural part of the post-election period. But when a candidate loses by a margin as tight as Charlie Crist fell short against Rick Scott — 48.2 to 47.1 percent — there’s an obligation […]

Martin DyckmanSeptember 14, 2014

The widely denounced Citizens United decision that did a great disservice to the nation and disgraces five Supreme Court justices is only the tip of a hulking iceberg. An urgent effort to melt that iceberg began in the U.S. Senate last week. You probably didn’t hear about it. The foundation for Citizens in 2010 was […]

Tag: Bill Nelson

Bill Nelson adds his name as co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act

Mitch Perry Report for 1.8.15 – Spare us the Jameis Winston “dilemma”

Mitch Perry Report for 1.8.15 – Spare us the Jameis Winston "dilemma"

A look back at the year in news in Tampa Bay

Obama’s Cuba moves reflect Florida political shift

Florida Democrats begin the long, hard road back to respectability

Steve Schale and Adam Goodman break down 2014 election

Martin Dyckman: Fla. Democrats need to find a message with a broad appeal

Peter Schorsch: Here are 16 factors that contributed to Charlie Crist’s loss

Martin Dyckman: Media must report nascent efforts to curb power of money in politics