Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryAugust 30, 2016

Former St. Petersburg City Councilman Wengay Newton is now one step closer to serving in Tallahassee, after besting attorney CJ Czaia and businessman Dan Fiorini in Florida’s House District 70 race, which encompasses portions of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota and Manatee counties. Newton received 61 percent. Florin was second with 21 percent, and Czaia finished with 17 percent. Fiorini was the legislative […]

Mitch PerryAugust 17, 2016

Wengay Newton has received another endorsement in his quest to win the House District 70 Democratic primary later this month. It’s former St. Pete city councilman, state legislator, and Juvenile Justice Secretary Frank Peterman Jr. who is backing his campaign. Newton has received the lion’s share of endorsements in the four-county district (Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota), which […]

Mitch PerryAugust 2, 2016

[Updated with response from Pinellas Realtors Organization.] CJ Czaia, a Manatee County-based personal injury attorney running for the Democratic nomination in House District 70, paid $1,000 last month to St. Petersburg community activist Theresa “Mama Tee” Lassiter for political consulting work. Lassiter is a well-known and somewhat controversial community activist in South St. Petersburg. “She had a one-time payment to […]

Mitch PerryJuly 18, 2016

The Reverend Manuel Sykes, who had intended to be a candidate in the House District 70 race this year but was disqualified when he failed to sign his disclosure form, said Sunday he’s backing Palmetto personal injury attorney C.J. Czaia in the race. “I want to work with him,” Sykes said shortly after finishing his Sunday service at Bethel Community […]

Mitch PerryJuly 15, 2016

Although many polls show the presidential election could go either way, the Democratic candidates in Florida’s Senate District 19 and House District 70 at Friday’s Suncoast Tiger Bay Club meeting say they can’t fathom an America with Donald Trump leading the nation. “There are 45 million Republicans in this country, and that’s the best they […]

Mitch PerryJuly 12, 2016

Florida’s House District 70 is one of the most creatively designed districts in the state Legislature, encompassing parts of Sarasota, Manatee, Pinellas AND Hillsborough counties. With incumbent Darryl Rouson term-limited out later this year, four men are vying for the seat — Republican Cori Fournier, and Democrats Wengay Newton, Dan Florini and C.J. Czaia. Czaia, a Palmetto-based attorney, […]

Mitch PerryJune 27, 2016

Pastor Manuel Sykes announced recently he was a candidate in the House District 70 race that covers parts of Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee and Sarasota counties, with the vast majority of the district’s voters living in Pinellas. It leans strongly Democratic in its makeup. However, Sykes did not qualify for the ballot at the end of the day on Friday, […]

Peter SchorschJune 16, 2016

Five months from Election Day, Republican Sens. Jeff Brandes, Jack Latvala, Tom Lee and Bill Galvano are still running unopposed. The only two bay area Senate seats in contention so far are the Senate District 18 contest between Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young and Democrat Bob Buesing and the three-way Democratic primary going down in SD 19. Young had built up quite the lead in her jump to the […]

Mitch PerryMay 12, 2016

So, Go Hillsborough is somehow still alive? Though they haven’t set a date yet, apparently there will be another public hearing on putting a sales tax referendum on the ballot this November. On Wednesday, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to support a half-cent sales tax for 15 years, and not the 30-year plan shot down […]

Mitch PerryMay 11, 2016

Dan Fiorini, a first-time candidate challenging fellow Democrat Wengay Newton for the open House District 70 seat, raised more cash than Newton in April, the third month in a row he’s done so. The April report shows Fiorini raised $4,496.95 to Newton’s $3,060.00, including in-kind contributions. “Obviously, our message is resonating with the community, “Fiorini […]

Tag: Dan Fiorini
Carolina Amesty slips further into impropriety.

Wengay Newton one step closer to Tallahassee, wins HD 70 primary

Frank Peterman is backing Wengay Newton in HD 70 race

CJ Czaia employs ‘Mama Tee’ Lassiter as political consultant in HD 70 race

Manuel Sykes backs C.J. Czaia in HD 70 race

Florida HD 70 and SD 19 Democratic candidates talk Trump, reparations and diapers in Tiger Bay Forum

C.J. Czaia says he’ll make a real difference if elected in HD 70

HD 70 candidate Manuel Sykes fails to sign disclosure form — doesn’t make it on the ballot

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay legislative races

Mitch Perry Report for 5.12.16 — The proposed tax that will not go away

Dan Fiorini tops Wengay Newton in fundraising in HD 70 race for 3rd straight month