Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 16, 2018

State Senator Jeff Brandes continues to grow his fundraising lead over his Democratic challenger Lindsay Cross, making the already steep climb even more treacherous. Between his campaign and an affiliated political committee, Brandes has raised more than $2 million to keep his seat. Cross has raised just $156,000 and does not have a political committee. […]

Drew WilsonOctober 8, 2018

St. Pete Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes is sitting pretty a month out from Election Day according to a new poll of his contest against Democratic nominee Lindsay Cross. A new St. Pete Polls survey, commissioned by Florida Politics, found the longtime lawmaker with an 11-point lead over Cross, 52-41 percent with the remaining 7 percent […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 16, 2018

State Senate President Bill Galvano, Majority Leader Wilton Simpson and Fort Myers Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto will be in Tampa next Friday to help four area Senate candidates boost their campaign accounts ahead of the November general election. The Sept. 17 event will be held in the Snowy Egret Room on the second floor of the […]

Drew WilsonAugust 13, 2018

Knocking off St. Pete Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes was always a long shot, and the first measure of the race since Lindsay Cross subbed in for Carrie Pilon shows those slim chances dwindling further. According to a new survey from St. Pete Polls, Brandes has the support of nearly 39 percent of Senate District 24 […]

Drew WilsonJuly 30, 2018

It has been more than three weeks since Carrie Pilon announced she was ending her bid to unseat St. Petersburg Republican Jeff Brandes in state Senate District 24. Now, Florida Democrats have settled on her replacement. Lindsay Cross, an environmental scientist who works as executive director of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, will pick up where […]

Drew WilsonJuly 13, 2018

Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes is gearing up for his re-election bid with a “Super Saturday” canvassing event in St. Petersburg-based Senate District 24. “Come show your support for Jeff Brandes! Join us on July 14 at 9:00 a.m. at Crisp Park in St. Petersburg for coffee and donuts. Help Senator Brandes spread his message by […]

Drew WilsonJuly 12, 2018

St. Petersburg Republican state Sen. Jeff Brandes doesn’t know who he’ll be up against come Election Day, but that hasn’t stopped donors from pouring beaucoup bucks into his political committee. A newly filed campaign finance report for Liberty Florida shows the Senate District 24 incumbent reeled in a six-figure haul from a crop of well-known […]

Peter SchorschJuly 6, 2018

Carrie Pilon, the Democrat trial attorney challenging incumbent Republican Jeff Brandes in a battleground state Senate district, has withdrawn from the race. Citing serious and unexpected health problems of a close family member, Pilon said, in a statement first provided to Florida Politics, that it is “impossible for me to continue forward and give the […]

Peter SchorschJuly 2, 2018

Poll numbers in two battleground state Senate seats have shifted significantly since last month, while a third race remains essentially deadlocked. In SD 16, the seat previously held by Jack Latvala, Republican Ed Hooper and Democrat Amanda Murphy remain deadlocked, with Hooper at 45 percent and Murphy at 43 percent. The good news here for the GOP is that this […]

Drew WilsonJune 29, 2018

Florida Democrats say Senate District 24 is one of their top targets in the fall, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. Democratic candidate Carrie Pilon narrowly outraised incumbent Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes in April, but followed that up with an underwhelming performance in May. Her newest report, which covers the first three weeks of […]

Tag: Carrie Pilon

Jeff Brandes is sitting on a gold mine compared to challenger, Lindsay Cross

Jeff Brandes still up double digits in SD 24 re-election battle

Top Senate Republicans raising cash for Tampa Bay candidates on Monday

Brandes up big in first SD 24 poll since Lindsay Cross tagged in

Lindsay Cross takes over Democratic bid for SD 24 after Carrie Pilon’s departure

Jeff Brandes holding ‘Super Saturday’ canvassing event

Jeff Brandes piles on cash as Florida Democrats scramble to replace Carrie Pilon

Carrie Pilon, Democratic challenger to Jeff Brandes, withdraws from state Senate race

Fresh polling: Jeff Brandes, Janet Cruz lead in battleground state Senate seats; Ed Hooper, Amanda Murphy deadlocked.

Carrie Pilon craters in SD 24 money race