Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 6, 2016

UPDATE: As we reported last week while observing state House District 68 candidates Eric Lynn and Ben Diamond at the Suncoast Tiger Bay Club, there doesn’t appear initially to be too much that separates the two St. Petersburg Democrats. With less than 60 days before voters in Pinellas County will go to the polls, Diamond is now calling for a number […]

Mitch PerryJune 29, 2016

Perhaps the first thing to know about the three candidates vying to become the next state representative of House District 68 in Pinellas County is that none of them awoke on New Year’s Day this year with the dream of winning this seat. Republican JB Bensmihen spent most of 2015 preparing to run against Democrat Lois Frankel in Florida’s 22nd […]

Mitch PerryJune 27, 2016

Although Eric Lynn never polled that well in his campaign for Florida’s 13th Congressional District against Charlie Crist, he proved to be a prodigious fundraiser, bringing in more than $650,000 to his campaign coffers. Lynn dropped out of the CD 13 race on May 3, announcing he would run instead for the House District 68 seat in Pinellas […]

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 PerryJune 15, 2016

The Florida Realtors Association has officially endorsed Eric Lynn in the House District 68 race in Pinellas County. “The Florida Realtors Association and the work they do is so vital to our community. I am honored to have the support of such an impactful organization,” said Lynn. “I look forward to continuing our work together in bringing affordable housing to the […]

Mitch PerryJune 8, 2016

There are now calls for an independent investigation into Pam Bondi‘s decision not to investigate consumer complaints against Trump University, the for-profit education company created by Donald Trump that ran a real estate training program from 2005 until at least 2010 — and not just from Democrats. “Attorney General Pam Bondi owes Floridians a full accounting of […]

Mitch PerryJune 7, 2016

With Democratic state Rep. Dwight Dudley now running for a judgeship in Pinellas County, the House District 68 member can’t endorse anyone in the race to succeed him this fall. His wife can, obviously, and so on Tuesday, Mary Rachel Dudley, Dudley’s longtime spouse, announced she was backing St. Petersburg attorney Ben Diamond in the contest. “He is the best candidate to carry […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2016

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn is weighing on a race dividing Democrats in Pinellas County, backing St. Petersburg attorney Ben Diamond in the House District 68 contest. “Ben Diamond is an asset to Tampa Bay,” Buckhorn said in a statement released Thursday. “His commitment to fairness and his experience in Tallahassee make him the best candidate to help move […]

Mitch PerryMay 26, 2016

Tampa Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor is endorsing St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond in the campaign for the open House District 68 seat. “Ben is a strong leader on issues that matter to us in Tampa Bay,” Castor said in a statement released by the Diamond campaign on Thursday. “Ben’s work on the Florida Water and […]

Mitch PerryMay 10, 2016

(Updated) St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond announced his candidacy for the House District 68 seat in Pinellas County on Monday, April 25. In the six days leading up to the campaign’s first fundraising deadline on April 30, he was able to raise an impressive $28,366. “I’m running for the Florida House because I want to fight for Pinellas […]

Tag: Dwight Dudley
Image via DFS

Eric Lynn accepts Ben Diamond’s challenge to debates in HD 68 Dem race

House District 68 candidates show little difference on the issues in Tiger Bay forum

Eric Lynn says his fundraising is doing quite well, despite his May report

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay legislative races

Florida Realtors Association backs Eric Lynn in HD 68 race

Mitch Perry Report for 6.8.16 — Common Cause Florida calls for Pam Bondi to come clean

Dwight Dudley’s spouse backing Ben Diamond in HD 68 race

Bob Buckhorn endorses Ben Diamond in the HD 68 race

Kathy Castor is backing Ben Diamond over Eric Lynn in HD 68 race

HD 68 Dem candidate Ben Diamond raises over $28,000 in one week on the campaign trail