Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschApril 12, 2018

For the first time this decade, a race to one day lead the Florida Senate is not confined to an intra-party scrum among Republican lawmakers. And while Naples Republican Kathleen Passidomo is now the slight front-runner to hold the gavel beginning in 2022, she and her GOP colleagues must first navigate two election cycles in […]

Drew WilsonApril 10, 2018

Tampa Republican Sen. Dana Young said Tuesday that she’s raised nearly $1.3 million for her Senate District 18 re-election bid and has $950,000 in the bank. “I am truly honored by the overwhelming support I have received for my re-election campaign for State Senate District 18,” Young said in a press release. “I look forward […]

Drew WilsonApril 10, 2018

It’s official: House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz will challenge Tampa Republican Sen. Dana Young in Senate District 18. The Tampa native announced her bid Tuesday. She joins, for now at least, Tampa attorney Bob Buesing in the Democratic Primary. “I’m running because Tampa Bay families deserve a leader who will fight for them in Tallahassee — not sell them […]

Drew WilsonApril 4, 2018

Tampa Republican Sen. Dana Young could see one re-election challenger swapped for another, according to sources close to the Florida Democratic Party’s Senate campaign arm. Young currently faces Tampa attorney Bob Buesing, who finished second in the four-way race for Senate District 18 in the 2016 cycle, and there are rumors he’s agreed to step […]

Drew WilsonApril 2, 2018

Democrat Carrie Pilon announced Monday that she’s filed to run for the Senate District 24 seat currently held by St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Jeff Brandes. Florida Politics previously reported Pilon, a former prosecutor who now runs an injury law firm, was planning a run for the Pinellas County district. “I’m running for the State Senate because […]

Staff ReportsApril 2, 2018

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Gov. Rick Scott visited USAA in Tampa on Monday “to highlight $180 million in total funding in his Securing Florida’s Future Budget to support active military, veterans, and their families.” The Governor’s Office announced the event in a press release. He also signed HB 29, which will “increase opportunities and reduce fees for Florida military, […]

Peter SchorschMarch 28, 2018

House Minority Leader Janet Cruz may not be running for the Hillsborough County Commission after all. The Tampa Democrat is eyeing a race against Republican incumbent Dana Young in state Senate District 18, which covers much of Tampa and western unincorporated Hillsborough County. According to several sources close to the Florida Democratic Party’s Senate campaign […]

Peter SchorschMarch 26, 2018

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A bill that would create a special taxing district for the Water Street Tampa development in Hillsborough County was recently signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. That’s after it made it through the Legislature this Session with near-unanimous votes in the House and Senate. The proposal was backed by Strategic Property Partners, a partnership […]

Drew WilsonMarch 21, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday signed a bill that would put to rest years of legal and regulatory fights over the state’s trauma center system. HB 1165, sponsored by Panama City Republican Rep. Jay Trumbull, in part aims to stem the flow of litigation against the state’s Department of Health, charged with reviewing the need […]

Jim RosicaMarch 10, 2018

Just as it always does in recent years, a legislative effort to revisit the state’s gambling laws tanked in the last week of this year’s Legislative Session. Senate President Joe Negron and House Speaker Richard Corcoran released a joint statement Friday night: “Despite the good faith efforts of both the House and Senate, a gaming bill […]

Tag: Dana Young
Image via AP.

Electoral map scrambles race for Senate presidency

Dana Young has $950K on hand for SD 18 re-election

Janet Cruz makes it official: She’s running for Florida Senate

No change of plans (yet) from Bob Buesing

Trial lawyer Carrie Pilon files for state Senate

Rick Scott highlights money for military, veterans in Tampa

Janet Cruz is eyeing Dana Young’s Senate seat for 2018

Jeff Vinik scores win with signing of Water Street Tampa bill

Rick Scott signs trauma center bill

Sunshine State gambling #fails: A short history (updated for 2018)