Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryOctober 21, 2015

The Hillsborough County Commission on Wednesday became the latest local agency to support the push to have a Cuban consulate in Tampa. “We’ve been told from our sources in Washington D.C. that, if we truly want to be considered for the consulate, we must speak with one voice,” said Bob Rohrlack, President and CEO of […]

Mitch PerryOctober 20, 2015

Last week in Tallahassee, we heard Florida House Speaker Steve Crisafulli say sort of a remarkable thing. Referring to the conflict between his House of Representatives and the Senate that has dominated Florida politics in 2015, he said it was a “extraordinary” that anything gets passed between the two bodies. The latest fissure between the House and […]

Mitch PerryOctober 19, 2015

Thirty-year-old Pasco County resident Christina Barker has been working as Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn’s special assistant since December, but her public profile rose this summer, when City Hall staffing changes made her Buckhorn’s interim director of communications. Barker became politically aware after John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid, and was totally inspired by Barack Obama’s run […]

Mitch PerryOctober 13, 2015

So, after the Republicans (led by Donald Trump) have seized the country’s attention with their presidential contest so far in 2015, the five Democrats (sans Joe Biden) running for president get their shot in a two-hour debate from Las Vegas on CNN at 9 p.m. Eastern. There will be some intriguing things to watch for – […]

Mitch PerryOctober 12, 2015

For several years, it’s been a given that Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn would try to take his brand of leadership to a new level in 2018 by seeking the Democratic nomination for governor. Facing just token opposition in his re-election bid, Buckhorn won with nearly 96 percent of the vote in March, setting himself up […]

Mitch PerryOctober 9, 2015

The activists went home unhappy Thursday night, but their goals were never the same as the majority on the Tampa City Council regarding the creation of a citizens review board to watchdog the Tampa Police Department. City Council voted 5-2 Thursday evening to a compromise proposal on who gets to select the members of the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 6, 2015

Unlike some of her contemporaries, Tampa House Republican Dana Young isn’t looking to eliminate the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. But she’s less than pleased with the agency upon learning that they recently purchased space in the Tampa Bay Business Journal for an advertorial spread explaining how the agency works. “WHY is the Hillsborough PTC advertising in […]

Mitch PerryOctober 6, 2015

It was billed as “The Great Debate” with two of the most prominent Tampa residents on the issue of Cuba, Al Fox and Ralph Fernandez, duking it out on whether the United States should end the 54-year-old economic embargo against the Castro-led government. Hundreds jammed into the historic Centro Asturiano building in Ybor City for a 90-minute forum hosted by the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 5, 2015

Welcome to the first Monday in October, where in Tampa the temperatures began this morning in the upper 60’s… Lots going on in pop culture and sports this past weekend, but let’s stick with hard news and talk about the issue of gun violence in America in the wake of the latest mass shooting in […]

Mitch PerryOctober 1, 2015

Since I’ve been following politics, it’s been a common complaint to question why the two major political parties have allowed two relatively homogenous states like Iowa and New Hampshire to have such an outsized influence in choosing our presidential nominees. And over the past three presidential cycles, invariably there’s been “serious” proposals floated to change the cycle, […]

Tag: Bob Buckhorn
Image via AP.

Hillsborough County Commissioners approve push to bring Cuban consulate to region

Mitch Perry Report for 10.20.15 -Friction begins immediately between House and Senate in special session

Meet Christina Barker, one of the “30 Under 30” rising stars of Florida politics

Mitch Perry Report for 10.13.15 – Martin O’Malley’s moment?

Bob Buckhorn still considering 2018 run for governor

Mitch Perry Report for 10.9.15 – First chapter in Tampa citizens review board saga ends

Dana Young not happy about PTC advertorial in Tampa Bay Business Journal

Al Fox and Ralph Fernandez debate U.S. Cuba relations in Ybor City

Mitch Perry Report for 10.5.15 – O’Malley and Clinton unveil plans to address gun violence

Mitch Perry Report for 10.1.15 – Will Reince Preibus have the guts to change the GOP presidential primary schedule?