Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2015

Republican activist and perpetual candidate Sharon Russ has filed to run for the heavily Democratic House District 70 seat held by termed-out Rep. Daryl Rouson. Russ is no stranger to politics, at least in the Pinellas County portion of the district: She ran for St. Petersburg mayor in 2009 and challenged Karl Nurse for city […]

Mitch PerryAugust 10, 2015

Earlier this year, citizens in the Lakewood Estates neighborhood of St. Petersburg were outraged at the construction of a homemade gun range built in the backyard of a resident, named Joseph Carannante. But their complaints to local law enforcement went nowhere, because of a 2011 state law that restricts local communities from enacting their own gun […]

Mitch PerryMay 22, 2015

Tampa Bay area state legislators Tom Lee and Daryl Rouson took center court at todays’ Tampa Tiger Bay Club meeting, where again the Legislature’s divide on health care drove the debate. Lee, a Senate Republican, represents Brandon in Tallahassee, while Rouson’s House District is comprises good chunk of South Pinellas County, but bizarrely also includes portions […]

Mitch PerryApril 9, 2015

The Florida House on Thursday passed a measure that would let private agencies who cite religious or moral grounds to turn away gay couples seeking to adopt children. By a 75-38 vote, HB 7111, sponsored by Sanford Republican Jason Brodeur, was passed. Brodeur proposed the legislation only after the House voted last month to repeal the […]

James CallMarch 22, 2015

My publisher thinks Charlie Crist’s announcement that he will not be a candidate in 2016 signals the end of the Crist era. I hope he’s wrong. My boss is a political insider. I’m an unemployed steelworker who hangs around the Capitol like others do a tavern, pool hall or barbershop. My sense is that the Crist brand represents […]

James CallMarch 22, 2015

My publisher thinks Charlie Crist’s announcement that he will not be a candidate in 2016 signals the end of the Crist era. I hope he’s wrong. My boss is a political insider. I’m an unemployed steelworker who hangs around the Capitol like others do a tavern, pool hall or barbershop. My sense is that the Crist brand represents […]

James CallMarch 20, 2015

This week in Florida politics, gulfs widened: The separation between the House and Senate, environmentalists and lawmakers, and relevancy and the Democratic Party grew wider and deeper. The Senate moved $5 billion further away from the House over a state budget for next year. The Senate has a plan to fill the hole created by […]

Tag: Daryl Rouson
Aleksandar Vucic Image via AP

Perennial GOP candidate Sharon Russ files in HD 70 race

Neil Combee to reintroduce bill outlawing backyard firing ranges in Florida

Stage legislators defend their own health care coverage at Tiger Bay forum in Tampa

Florida House approves law to allow private agencies to turn away gay couples from adopting

Charlie Crist, Allison Tant are workers’ only hope

Charlie Crist, Allison Tant are workers' only hope

The week that was in Florida politics — March 20