Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Daniel TilsonDecember 17, 2013

Bells tolled, tears rolled and prayers rose toward the heavens on the first anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School gun massacre last Saturday, while the profound lack of progress in reducing gun violence weighed down many a mourning spirit. In the wake of that tragedy, the victims’ families and friends galvanized millions of new […]

Guest AuthorNovember 6, 2013

As expected, former GOP Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announced on Monday that he is running for the statehouse in Tallahassee again, this time as a Democrat. Crist is a survivor, a career politician who served as a Republican state senator, education commissioner, attorney general and then governor. His big mistake: Crist then ran and lost […]

Guest AuthorOctober 30, 2013

Political momentum, on the national stage, is like the tides, coming and going and constantly changing. It often brings in flotsam and rarely takes any of the detritus away. Almost weekly you can hear the pundits claiming the tides have shifted in favor of — insert political party here — only until the next scandal […]

Darryl PaulsonOctober 27, 2013

First of two parts. During the first year of President Obama’s first term, the American economy was in shambles and the public demanded that government focus on the economy and job creation. In response, the administration passed a stimulus plan that Republicans thought was too large and Democrats thought was too small. The economy continued […]

Susan ClaryOctober 22, 2013

Walk into a room of progressive activists anywhere in the state and ask them what they think about former Gov. Charlie Crist. Chances are you wouldn’t get agreement. Democrats either have a crush on the former St. Pete High quarterback, swooning at the idea he may be our next governor, or they act like he’s […]

Darryl PaulsonOctober 10, 2013

Congressman Bill Young’s announcement Wednesday that he would retire at the end of his current term took politicians across Florida by surprise. Young, who has represented Pinellas County since 1970 and is in in his 22nd term, is the longest-serving Republican in the House. During his tenure, Young has secured hundreds of millions of dollars […]

Guest AuthorOctober 3, 2013

Our beautiful 237-year experiment in democracy has brought us to a difficult crossroad. Either we are going to continue to lurch from financial crisis to financial crisis or someone in Washington, D.C., is going to have to get over their childish temper tantrums. At this point in time I’m ready to declare a pox on […]

Darryl PaulsonSeptember 30, 2013

First of two parts. Florida is the home of razor-thin election victories. From George W. Bush’s controversial 537-vote victory over Al Gore to Barack Obama’s .9 percent margin over Mitt Romney, the whole nation watches Florida. Florida’s close elections are an artifact of its partisan coalitions. These coalitions are undergoing some profound changes that will […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 26, 2013

Florida’s elected leaders could learn a lot from the hordes of fishermen they represent. In fact, I think a statewide political fishing tournament every couple of years might be a great way to spread some much-needed wisdom among them. The prizes could be large contributions from the sponsors, deposited into the campaign accounts of the […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2013

Usually it is Democrats who have the short-sentence sell: “This (fill in the blank) will help people.” As news circulates that Florida’s unemployment rate fell again in August, Republicans have the easy pitch, “It’s working,” while critics must expend a lot of breath to argue it is not as it seems. It’s a lot simpler […]

Tag: democrats
Image via X (Duke Energy).

Daniel Tilson: The secret to gun safety in Florida

Steve Kurlander: If Crist wins, expect national implications for both parties

Ed Moore: Politicians and pundits should not treat governing like a sporting event

Darryl Paulson: The problem with Obamacare: the process

Susan Clary: If Crist is willing to run, Democrats need to rally behind him

Darryl Paulson: Who will seek long-serving Congressman Bill Young’s Florida seat?

Barney Bishop: A pox on both political parties

Darryl Paulson: Florida’s Changing Partisan Coalitions: The Democrats

Jim McClellan: If Florida politicians did more fishing

Karen Cyphers: Jobs data incomplete, but Dem rebukes are a greater folly