Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsAugust 23, 2018

David Shapiro, a Democratic candidate for Florida’s 16th Congressional District, called for all hands on deck Thursday. Namely, he led a protest against Vern Buchanan‘s receipt of a foreign loan to help him buy a yacht. However, Shapiro also faced some criticism of his own from counter-protesters raising questions about Shapiro’s stock portfolio. A story […]

Drew WilsonAugust 21, 2018

When it comes to hammering out loans, banks typically get to sit in the captain’s chair. That might not have been the case for Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, the House coxswain of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. As revealed last month, Buchanan purchased a luxurious Ocean Alexander yacht on Nov. 16, […]

Ryan NicolAugust 17, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-07-29-at-1.36.22-PM.png

Vern Buchanan held onto a sizable money lead in the race for Florida’s 16th Congressional District despite being outraised by David Shapiro in the most recent fundraising period. Buchanan reported more than $2.1 million cash on hand after raising $90,000 from July 1 through Aug. 8, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC). That $2.1 […]

Ryan NicolAugust 16, 2018

David Shapiro, a Democratic candidate in Florida’s 16th Congressional District, is calling out Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan over his receipt of more than $100,000 from the sugar industry in light of recent red tide and algae blooms hitting the state. The report from the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan research group that tracks money […]

Ryan NicolAugust 14, 2018

David Shapiro has made climate change an issue in his campaign for Florida’s 16th Congressional District. Yet despite that focus, it appears Shapiro has invested in several companies pegged as some of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, according to one study. That study, summarized by The Guardian, shows a numbered list of 100 […]

Ryan NicolAugust 8, 2018

Get your pencils ready, class. Democrat David Shapiro has dropped a new campaign ad as he continues his challenge to incumbent GOP U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in Florida’s 16th Congressional District. In the ad, titled “Quiz,” Shapiro uses a multiple-choice quiz to help highlight his goals should he make it to the halls of Congress. “Washington […]

Ryan NicolAugust 8, 2018

David Shapiro, a Democratic candidate in Florida’s 16th Congressional District, issued some tough talk back in February when he took his Republican opponent to task in an op-ed for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. In that piece, Shapiro criticized incumbent CD 16 Rep. Vern Buchanan and fellow Republicans for their passage of last year’s tax bill. Shapiro […]

Ryan NicolJuly 31, 2018

Floridians for a Fair Shake, a left-leaning advocacy group focused on the economy and health care issues, seems to be playing tricks with the numbers in a new ad hitting U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan over last year’s GOP tax cuts. The ad is titled “Same Day,” and highlights the fact that Buchanan bought a yacht […]

Scott PowersJuly 31, 2018

Democratic congressional candidate David Shapiro is launching the first television commercial of his campaign for Florida’s 16th Congressional District, touting his commitment to take on bullies. The 30-second spot, “Vowed,” is being placed on broadcast and cable television in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market, where Shapiro faces fellow lawyer Jan Schneider in the Aug. 28 Democratic […]

Scott PowersJuly 24, 2018

Republican U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan has launched an attack ad against his Democratic election opponent David Shapiro with blistering references to the Sarasota lawyer’s investments in gun companies, opioid drug companies, and companies tied to the Deepwater Horizon off-shore oil disaster. The new 30-second TV commercial, “Two-Faced,” outlines Shapiro’s investments while calling him two-faced and […]

Tag: CD 16
Image via AP.

David Shapiro anchors outside Vern Buchanan’s office, leads protest against yacht purchase

Foreign bank floated funds for Vern Buchanan’s yacht as it lobbied for tax reform

Vern Buchanan holds onto money lead in CD 16 race

Sugar money again? David Shapiro calls out Vern Buchanan

David Shapiro owns stock in nine of study’s top 100 greenhouse gas emitters

David Shapiro puts pop quiz to voters in new ad

David Shapiro owns stock in three companies he publicly denounced in op-ed

In new ad, Floridians for a Fair Shake doubles down on criticism of Vern Buchanan

David Shapiro’s first CD 16 commercial has him taking on bullies

Vern Buchanan ad blasts David Shapiro’s investments in guns, pharma, oil