Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMay 22, 2018

Contending that there are statutory problems with the federally authorized bonds All Aboard Florida intends to use to finance its Orlando Brightline train expansion, U.S. Reps. Brian Mast, Bill Posey, Ron DeSantis and Matt Gaetz are urging the federal government to suspend the authorization. At issue is $1.15 billion worth of private activity bonds that […]

Scott PowersApril 30, 2018

All Aboard Florida’s $1.75 billion in tax exempt private activity bonds are not only in link with the law and regulations, they’re not without precedent in federal funding of railroad projects, the company stated Monday. In a letter to U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Government Operations, All Aboard Florida’s […]

Scott PowersApril 30, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Posey and Democratic challenger Sanjay Patel became the first Central Florida congressional contest formally set Monday when they both qualified for the ballot in Florida’s 8th Congressional District. Patel, of Rocklege, a business consultant and Democratic Party officer in Brevard County, qualified by petition after having more than 9,100 signatures verified, […]

Scott PowersApril 26, 2018

Armed with newly-raised congressional skepticism about the legitimacy of a financing method used by the company, state Sen. Debbie Mayfield on Wednesday urged Gov. Rick Scott to pull Florida from the financing deal backing Brightline’s proposed private passenger railroad along the east coast. Scott’s office replied that it would review it. At issue is $1.75 billion […]

Scott PowersApril 19, 2018

Brightline’s use of federal tax-exempt Private Activity Bonds, to build the privately owned and operated higher-speed passenger railroad that would connect Orlando to South Florida, was sharply criticized Thursday during a congressional hearing. Brightline, also known as All Aboard Florida, is planning to use $1.5 billion worth of the federally authorized bonds to pay for […]

Drew WilsonApril 17, 2018

Sanjay Patel just posted the best quarterly fundraising report by a Democrat running for Florida’s 8th Congressional District this century, nearly matching incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Posey in individual contributions. Patel, who filed for the race in late January, showed $91,111 raised and $9,262 spent in his inaugural report, leaving him with $81,642 in the […]

Scott PowersApril 12, 2018

Congressional letters signed by a large majority of Florida’s delegation are urging congressional leaders to support full funding not just for NASA’s next spacecraft and rocket but for critical upgrades at Kennedy Space Center to launch them. The letters to chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees subcommittees overseeing space have drawn signatures of […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto of Orlando received a perfect score of 100 for his environmental issues voting record from the national League of Conservation Voters, the only member of Florida’s delegation to do so. The league’s annual “National Environmental Scorecard” for the 2017 session of Congress, gave Soto checkmarks across the board on 35 issues […]

Scott PowersFebruary 2, 2018

While it may be hard for many to imagine Florida’s Space Coast-based 8th Congressional District electing a Democrat, some people were saying the same thing about Democrats’ chances in many local elections in Brevard County until several won offices last November, adding dots of blue to a largely red landscape. Stacey and Sanjay Patel had […]

Scott PowersFebruary 1, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Posey reported that he raised $84,660 in the fourth quarter of 2017 leading his re-election campaign in Florida’s 8th Congressional District to finish the year with $598,821 in the bank. Posey, a five-term incumbent from Rockledge, has no competition who reported any campaign finance activity, though technically there are two Democrats […]

Brian Mast, Bill Posey, others urge feds to suspend bonds for Brightline

All Aboard Florida defends its bond status for railroad money

Bill Posey, Sanjay Patel qualify for ballot for CD 8 contest

Debbie Mayfield urges Rick Scott to ‘protect’ state from Brightline bond questions

Brightline’s financing challenged in congressional hearing

Sanjay Patel may turn heads with latest fundraising report

Florida’s delegation presses for Kennedy Space Center launch support money for NASA’s next big rocket

Darren Soto gets perfect score from Conservation Voters, tops Florida members

Brevard Democratic official Sanjay Patel enters CD 8 race against Bill Posey

Bill Posey raises $84K in fourth quarter for CD 8 re-election bid