Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bob SparksJanuary 18, 2015

Political junkies, reporters and columnists should thank Jeb Bush. His sooner-than-expected semi-announcement of a run for president accelerated the run for the White House. While a few potential opponents likely spit out their morning coffee upon learning of Bush’s move, newshounds and consultants were overjoyed. Instead of endless January speculation stories, some substance and actual […]

Bob SparksJanuary 18, 2015

Political junkies, reporters and columnists should thank Jeb Bush. His sooner-than-expected semi-announcement of a run for president accelerated the run for the White House. While a few potential opponents likely spit out their morning coffee upon learning of Bush’s move, newshounds and consultants were overjoyed. Instead of endless January speculation stories, some substance and actual […]

Bob SparksJanuary 8, 2015

Since Earth came into being eons ago, it has regularly adapted to climate change. Global cooling led to ice ages and glaciers. Global warming melted the glaciers. Few paid little, if any, attention to this portion of science until recently. Today, climate change is fully ensconced in the minds and conversations of mainstream America. Raising […]

Bob SparksDecember 22, 2014

The 2008 American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays may be on their way out of Florida. A move is not imminent, but recent events increase the odds that Miami may eventually be the only remaining Major League Baseball team in the long term. Last week in a 5-3 vote, the St. Petersburg City Council voted […]

Bob SparksNovember 23, 2014

After every election, three things are certain. First, the winning party claims a mandate followed by the losing party lamenting the failure of their voters to turn out. The final story of the post-election trilogy features the losing side commissioning a self-analysis to find out what went wrong. Following their wipeout at the hands of […]

Bob SparksNovember 11, 2014

On Nov. 4, Florida Republicans joined with their counterparts around the country to celebrate a number of big victories. The next day, a group of Republicans gathered in Orange Park to lament a tremendous loss. We were there to remember the man many believe was the architect and general contractor who laid the foundation for […]

Bob SparksOctober 29, 2014

Charlie Crist first ran for Governor in 2006. His victory marked the first time a Republican succeeded another Republican as Florida’s chief executive. It is helpful to remember the circumstances at the time. Many of those same circumstances are present today. Heading into the 2006 election, President George W. Bush had approval ratings hovering near […]

Bob SparksOctober 20, 2014

With the election only two weeks away, we suffer degrees of numbness from the political ads. Depending on your region of Florida, you may already have fled to Netflix or DVDs to escape the bombardment. But complaining about negative ads is pointless because they’re so effective. For those seeking a respite, I recommend reading or […]

Bob SparksOctober 6, 2014

Few races for seats in the U.S. House of Representatives fall into the competitive category, but Florida has one of the top 10 most watched campaigns in the country. Democrat Gwen Graham’s challenge to Republican Rep. Steve Southerland for the Congressional District 2 seat is a political scientist’s dream. The numbers for District 2 paint […]

Bob SparksOctober 1, 2014

In April 2012 the United States Secret Service took a big hit. A public relations torpedo exploded when agents on the presidential detail, along with supervisors, were found to have cavorted with prostitutes in Cartegena, Colombia. All of this occurred shortly before President Barack Obama was set to arrive. An investigation revealed this type of […]

Tag: Bob Sparks

Bob Sparks: Jeb Rubio forced to adjust to Jeb Bush’s timetable

Bob Sparks: Rubio forced to adjust to Jeb Bush's timetable

Bob Sparks: Moderate voices needed to market climate change

Bob Sparks: St. Pete plays hardball. Could Rays be on way out of Florida?

Bob Sparks: Elections show that National Democratic leadership needed to change

Bob Sparks: Tom Slade laid the foundation for today’s GOP dominance

Bob Sparks: Don’t underestimate Crist’s ability to connect with people

Bob Sparks: The incredible non-political story of Lorenzo Cain

Bob Sparks: Gwen Graham must overcome Steve Southerland and Barack Obama

Bob Sparks: Florida’s Pierson quits as Secret Service boss after White House breach