Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaNovember 27, 2018

Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis and incoming First Lady Casey DeSantis on Tuesday announced the leadership for their 2019 Inaugural Committee. Heading the list is top Florida and Washington, D.C. lobbyist Brian Ballard and his wife Kathryn Ballard of Tallahassee, who are chairs. Co-chairs are longtime Republican Party fundraisers Stanley and Gay Hart Gaines of Palm Beach, and lobbyist […]

Peter SchorschNovember 15, 2018

At least four people are in the running to become Ron DeSantis‘ chief of staff: Kathy Mears, Scott Ross, Scott Parkinson, and Shane Strum, according to sources familiar with the interview process. DeSantis “has discussed the position with all four,” one source said during an interview in Orlando where dozens of Adams Streeters are meeting for […]

Drew WilsonOctober 31, 2018

The witching hour is upon us. Ghosts and ghouls fill the streets. Zombies walk side-by-side with princesses and superheroes. Their mission the same: Spook and scare their neighbors in hopes of scoring enough candy to sustain them for the next year. Florida Retailers are expecting their tills to be flush thanks to the most frightening […]

Staff ReportsOctober 17, 2018

AshBritt Environmental, a “rapid-response disaster recovery and special environmental services contractor” in Deerfield Beach, has hired Ballard Partners‘ namesake Brian Ballard and its Christina Daly Brodeur. Veteran influencer Ron Book also remains the company’s lobbyist, according to lobbying registration records accessed Wednesday. Daly Brodeur, formerly Secretary of Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice under Gov. Rick Scott, joined Ballard’s firm last month. The […]

Peter SchorschOctober 3, 2018

Nigeria’s People’s Democratic Party signed a $1.1 million per year contract with the Washington D.C. branch of Ballard Partners last month, adding to the Tallahassee-based lobbying group’s expansive roster of foreign clients since it expanded to the nation’s capital. The contract, worth $90,000 a month, went into effect on Sept. 21. The deal will see […]

Peter SchorschSeptember 13, 2018

As many of you know, Brian Ballard topped off his empire with an impressive new “castle” in downtown Tallahassee. There are plenty of beautiful new features to the building, but with Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Southeast and several other storms brewing in the Atlantic, I find myself thinking about one feature in particular […]

Drew WilsonAugust 31, 2018

Lobbying compensation reports are in for the second quarter, and the usual rankings have been shaken up among the state’s top-earning lobby firms. After several quarters leading the pack, Ballard Partners has slipped to second place in legislative lobbying compensation while Southern Strategy Group ascended to the top spot. It doesn’t hurt that the firm […]

Peter SchorschJuly 18, 2018

Ballard Partners’ Washington, D.C. operation added another three clients over the past week. The first was Singani 63, a New York-based beverage company that is trying to popularize a type of liquor made from white grapes that’s rather unfamiliar outside of the Bolivian high valleys. The company, backed by Academy Award winning film director Steven […]

Peter SchorschJuly 3, 2018

Ballard Partners’ Washington, D.C. operation picked up another major client this week: Mali. The West African nation signed a one-year, $300,000 contract with that will see Ballard Partners promote them as “a close working partner of key western countries in the struggles against Islamic extremism and the war against global terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda.” […]

Drew WilsonJune 21, 2018

Ballard Partners added a load of lobbying clients after an expansion to Washington D.C. last year; one of the biggest was pleased enough to ink another contract with the firm. In mid-2017, the Turkish government inked a $1.5 million deal with the firm aimed at improving US-Turkey relations and promoting the country’s public image by […]

Tag: Brian Ballard
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Ron DeSantis names star-studded Inaugural Committee

Ron DeSantis vetting chief of staff candidates, including some familiar names

Halloween is brought you by these Florida lobbyists and political associations

Lobby Up: Hurricane cleanup firm AshBritt Environmental hires Ballard Partners

Nigerian political party retains Ballard Partners

Ballard Partners WeatherSTEM casting watchful eye on Tallahassee storms … of all types

Southern Strategy Group’s legislative lobbying boosts it to No. 1 in Q2 revenue

Ballard Partners adds three clients to its DC roster

Mali government inks deal with Ballard Partners

Turkey re-ups Ballard Partners lobbying contract