Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayOctober 6, 2015

A House panel Tuesday morning advanced a bill to grant concealed weapons licensees to carry their guns openly in Florida. Or as sponsor Rep. Matt Gaetz put it, restore a right “granted not by government, but by God.” Despite an admonishment from chairman Carlos Trujillo to keep questions to the text of the bill itself and avoid “philosophical” […]

Jim RosicaOctober 5, 2015

Get your checkbooks ready: The Republican Party of Florida’s House Majority 2016 effort is highlighting a bevy of fundraisers this week in Tallahassee. The party sent an email listing all the events, coinciding with the October committee week. In chronological order, here are the events, subject to change and cancellation: State Rep. Elizabeth Porter of Lake […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 10, 2015

Jeb Bush may be struggling in the polls, but there was nothing but unadulterated love for him shown Thursday afternoon in Tampa, where a bevy of local and state Republicans – highlighted by an appearance by Jeb Bush Jr. – gathered to officially open the former Florida governor’s statewide headquarters. Located in the Town ‘n’ […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 10, 2015

A Tampa Bay-area lawmaker wants to “streamline” the process for minors to expunge or seal their criminal records. State Rep. Chris Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, filed his bill (HB 147) on Thursday for the 2016 legislative session. And fellow state Rep. Chris Sprowls, a Palm Harbor Republican and assistant state prosecutor, agreed to co-sponsor the measure. […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 8, 2015

While the August special session stymied fundraising efforts last month, new fundraising reports for a trio of Pinellas County state house races show incumbent Republicans are well prepared for 2016. St. Petersburg Republican Rep. Larry Ahern brought in $10,100 in August for his District 66 reelection effort, his second best month since launching the campaign. About half of Ahern’s […]

Ryan RayAugust 28, 2015

Republican state Rep. Ray Pilon has found an unlikely ally in his 2016 House re-election campaign in Sarasota-based District 72: leading Democratic strategist Steve Schale. Schale appears on the host committee for an upcoming fundraiser for the third-term Republican lawmaker, according to an invitation obtained by FloridaPolitics.com. Schale cited Pilon’s stance this year in a major battle over Medicaid […]

Drew WilsonAugust 12, 2015

State Sen. Jack Latvala will hold a fundraiser luncheon co-sponsored by several current and former Pinellas politicians in St. Petersburg on Sept. 1. The list features two dozen co-chairs, including current state Reps. Larry Ahern, Kathleen Peters, Chris Sprowls and state Sen. Latvala’s son, freshman Rep. Chris Latvala. Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano will also be in attendance. Latvala has his sights set on becoming the […]

Peter SchorschJuly 14, 2015

The tumultuous, ultra-insider-y race to be speaker of the Florida House during the 2021-22 legislative sessions took another interesting turn Tuesday as Rep. Brad Drake confirmed to Florida Politics that he has withdrawn his pledge to support to Rep. Eric Eisnaugle. In de-pledging to Eisnaugle, once the unanimous choice of his classmates in the House to […]

Ryan RayMay 12, 2015

Rep. Dwight Dudley survived a serious electoral scare in November from well-known local Republican Bill Young II, son of the late Pinellas U.S. Rep. C.W. Bill Young. The two tangled over House District 68, in the heart of St. Petersburg, one of the most competitive seats in the state at any level. Borrowing from the old […]

Ryan RayApril 30, 2015

As lobbyists and pols alike collect their collective jaws from the floor in the wake of Speaker Steve Crisafulli’s Sine Die adjournment spectacle, the Florida Democratic Party is wasting no time in making political hay out of it. The FDP told Florida Politics that it is hitting vulnerable members of the majority in the GOP-dominated Florida House […]

Tag: Chris Latvala

House panel pulls trigger on open carry

Email Insights: House GOP fundraisers continue

Bay area Republicans gather to open Jeb Bush’s statewide HQ in Tampa

Chris Latvala’s bill would “streamline” sealing of juvenile records

Pinellas Republicans rake in August campaign cash

Democratic strategist Steve Schale reaches across the aisle to support Ray Pilon’s re-election

Pro-Jack Latvala political committee to hold luncheon Sept. 1

The race to be House Speaker in 2020-21 takes another interesting turn as Brad Drake de-pledges from Eric Eisnaugle

Dwight Dudley draws 2 early GOP opponents in swing House district

Florida Democrats unveil text of mailers, robocalls targeting vulnerable House Republicans