Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bill RuftyAugust 17, 2016

Strong mayor pushed because of weak responses The city of Lakeland has been going through a series of bipolar political moves — or lack of moves — over the last few decades. Its leaders and business executives in the city can’t seem to figure out if they want to be a big municipality or a small […]

A.G. GancarskiAugust 16, 2016

Relying on Corrine Brown to guide your vote on Jacksonville’s County Referendum 1? You might want to consider a different resource; she’s got nothing to say on the matter. Rep. Brown’s “Quick Picks” leave the ballot option blank. When asked about her take on the referendum for the “pension tax” on Monday, she delivered a “no […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 6, 2016

What do Marianne Aho, Russell Healey, Angela Cox, Steven Fahlgren, Jack Schemer, and Linda McCallum have in common? All six of them are running unopposed for re-election for 4th Circuit judgeships, as of Friday afternoon. There are just two competitive races in the 4th Circuit. Group 9 incumbent Bruce Anderson faces David Trotti, a Jacksonville lawyer specializing in family law and bankruptcy proceedings. […]

Bill RuftyMarch 30, 2016

David Charles Poulin, a Lakeland Democrat, recently opened a campaign account for Florida House District 56, occupied by Wauchula Republican Ben Albritton, who is seeking his fourth two-year term to the seat. Poulin’s entry means all five House seats in or including parts of Polk County now have Democrats running in them. That hasn’t happened […]

Bill RuftyFebruary 15, 2016

Ed-Smith-Polk-County-Commissioner-Large-e1455572885627-1024x1024.jpg

Polk County Commissioner Ed Smith, a Lake Alfred Republican, has pulled out of the Republican Primary for Florida House District 41, and has entered the nonpartisan race for Polk County School Board against incumbent Dick Mullenax. Smith said his decision to switch to run for a local office is based “solidly on the health of […]

Bill RuftyAugust 27, 2015

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had been written off as “fading” or being too quiet with Donald Trump by some commentators and would-be experts in the pre-dawn of the 2016 presidential elections. Others took every minor refute he made toward Trump as a “weak retort.” A Florida Republican strategist and a political scientist along I-4 […]

Tag: Bruce Anderson
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Polk political notebook: Strong mayors, weak spellcheck and dueling websites

Corrine Brown releases Quick Picks, passes on pension-tax vote

Not much drama in Jacksonville area circuit judge races

Democrats becoming challengers on I-4 again?

Ed Smith leaves Florida House race for school board

Experts say Jeb Bush “laying up” for Iowa caucuses