Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschApril 14, 2016

Three of the five Senate races in Hillsborough or Pinellas County feature an incumbent running without opposition. In a fourth race – the one for Senate District 18 – Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young has no challenger yet, although a Democrat is expected to file next week. As of April, SD 19 is the only Bay area seat with […]

Drew WilsonApril 11, 2016

House District 67 Republican Rep. Chris Latvala will begin his re-election run with a May 2 event at the Island Way Grill in Clearwater, his campaign said Monday. Among those listed on the invite are incoming House Speaker Richard Corcoran, Republican Reps. Chris Sprowls, Kathleen Peters, Larry Ahern, and Jamie Grant, as well as Sen. […]

Mitch PerryMarch 31, 2016

You hear a lot in the news these days about how conservatives are poised to work with liberals on criminal justice. It actually happened a few times during this past Legislative Session in Tallahassee. At Wednesday’s Suncoast Tiger Bay meeting in St. Petersburg, the assembled lawmakers were asked to cite what they thought was the […]

Mitch PerryMarch 30, 2016

With the 2016 Florida Legislative Session now in their rear view mirrors, the entire Pinellas County delegation – sans HD 65 Republican Chris Sprowls – discussed various aspects of what just went on in Tallahassee on Wednesday before a robust Suncoast Tiger Bay Club audience at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The delegation skews heavily Republican, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 29, 2016

The fight over juvenile detention costs may be over. Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday signed a bill (SB 1322) intended to end the battle between the state and several Florida counties over juvenile detention costs. The measure was sponsored by state Sen. Jack Latvala and state Rep. Chris Latvala, and is meant to ends a […]

Drew WilsonMarch 21, 2016

First term Republican Rep. Chris Latvala has drawn a Democratic challenger in his re-election campaign for House District 67. Attorney David Vogel filed for the Pinellas County seat March 2 and is currently the only candidate running against Latvala in the HD 67 race. Vogel is an alumnus of the Roger Williams University law school […]

Mitch PerryMarch 12, 2016

Nikki Haley says she’s seen what Donald Trump rallies have become of late, and surmised that accepting him as the GOP presidential nominee goes against what the party of Lincoln is all about. “I’m watching a presidential candidate who at his rally is saying, ‘punch him. He should be taken out on a stretcher. Do […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 9, 2016

A bill intended to end the fight over juvenile detention costs is headed to the governor. The Florida House voted 117-0 to approve the measure (SB 1322). The approval came just days after the Senate voted 38-0 to approve the bill. The proposal requires counties that aren’t considered fiscally constrained, usually more affluent, urban areas, […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

A proposal to overhaul archaic state regulations on Florida-based cosmetics manufacturers has gained steam from two major industry endorsements as Session winds down, though the time for the bills to move is growing shorter. The bills – HB 261 by Rep. Chris Latvala and SB 176 by Sen. Jeff Brandes — would reform a regulatory cosmetics regime manufacturers have called “unnecessary and burdensome” by cutting down […]

Staff ReportsMarch 7, 2016

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State Sen. Jack Latvala, who will become Appropriations chair next year, blasted House leadership as “ideologues” for refusing to fund Gov. Rick Scott‘s proposed $250 million Florida Enterprise Fund. Latvala, the Clearwater Republican who now heads the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development, penned an op-ed in the Tampa Bay Times on Friday morning. Latvala […]

Tag: Chris Latvala

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay’s 2016 legislative races

Chris Latvala starts HD 67 re-election with May 2 Clearwater event

Mitch Perry Report for 3.31.16 – Pinellas lawmakers reflect on bills likely positive for entire body politic

Pinellas lawmakers talk 2016 Session, advice for Rick Scott, and who they think will be president

Rick Scott signs juvenile detention cost-sharing bill

Chris Latvala draws Democratic challenge in HD 67

Nikki Haley tells Pinellas Republicans that they’re better than what Donald Trump is offering

House votes 117-0 to approve juvenile detention cost sharing bill

Cosmetics legislation moving forward as Session winds down

In op-ed, Jack Latvala blasts House zeroing out of incentives fund