Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 9, 2016

Joseph “JB” Bensmihen hasn’t been in Pinellas County very long. In fact, he officially became a resident only within the last week. So while you might consider that fact alone makes him a decided underdog in the now wide-open Pinellas County state House District 68 seat, he doesn’t. And he has an impressive history of exceeding people’s […]

Peter SchorschMay 9, 2016

For an entire eight days — EIGHT DAYS — local Democrats had their sh*t together. On April 25, state Rep. Dwight Dudley announces he will not seek re-election. Hours later, the well-liked Ben Diamond announces his candidacy for Dudley’s seat along with the endorsements of almost all of Pinellas’ Democratic elected officials. The seamless transition […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2016

Pinellas County state House Democratic Rep. Dwight Dudley has filed to run for judge of the County Court in Pinellas County’s Group 9. Dudley is a St. Petersburg-based attorney who operates his own law firm. He announced last week that he would not run for re-election for his HD 68 seat that he was first elected to in […]

Peter SchorschMay 4, 2016

As an expensive and divisive primary shapes up on the Democratic side of the race to succeed Dwight Dudley in House District 68, one Republican thought to be a contender for the seat says he’s not interested in running. Former state Rep. Frank Farkas said late last week he won’t be on the ballot in 2016. Farkas, a St. […]

Mitch PerryMay 3, 2016

Reading the writing on the wall – also known as the polls – Florida Congressional District 13 Democratic candidate Eric Lynn is jettisoning his race for Congress, and has announced he will run in the state House District 68 seat in Pinellas County recently vacated last week by Dwight Dudley. “Today begins a fresh start in a new […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 3, 2016

The report cards are out, and three dozen state lawmakers got top marks from one of Florida’s leading advocates for economic freedom. On Tuesday, Americans for Prosperity-Florida (AFP-FL) released its annual Economic Freedom Scorecard. To tabulate the grades, the organization recorded more than 4,300 individual votes on 59 legislative proposals. “A big part of our […]

Mitch PerryApril 26, 2016

Although registration for Republicans have surged in a number of states this primary season, the larger trend is that people are becoming more disaffected by our two major political parties, and signing up as independents. And with Democratic superdelegates on one side, and top ranking GOP officials seemingly doing whatever they can to try to […]

Mitch PerryApril 25, 2016

St. Petersburg based attorney Ben Diamond will run as a Democrat for the now open House District 68 seat later this year. In what appears to be a coordinated effort, Diamond made his announcement just hours after incumbent Dwight Dudley announced publicly that he would not run for the seat he has held since 2012. “I have long been […]

Mitch PerryApril 25, 2016

(updated) Dwight Dudley will not be running for re-election in House District 68. The news surprised Tallahassee observers, but Dudley said on Monday that the recent death of his mother – in which he barely had time to say goodbye to her before she passed away as the 2016 session ended in March – was a catalyst in […]

Mitch PerryApril 12, 2016

The New York Yankees are worth at least $3.4 billion, according to Forbes. Depending on what survey you look at, they are either the 2nd or 3rd most valuable sports property in the world (behind only Real Madrid and maybe the Dallas Cowboys). Despite that vast wealth, the ball club and the Tampa Sports Authority are […]

Tag: Dwight Dudley

Pinellas newcomer Joseph ‘JB’ Bensmihen is convinced he will win the HD 68 seat this fall

Here’s where sh*t stands — the ‘Democrats can’t keep it together’ edition

Dwight Dudley files to run as judge in Pinellas County

Frank Farkas won’t run in House District 68

Charlie Crist to D.C.? Eric Lynn out of running for CD 13, into HD 68

Three dozen lawmakers get A+ on AFP-FL’s 2016 Economic Freedom Scorecard

Mitch Perry Report for 4.26.16 – Collusion politics

Ben Diamond to run for Dwight Dudley’s seat in Florida House

Dwight Dudley says he wants more time at home, and is looking at running for judge in Pinellas County

Mitch Perry Report for 4.12.16 – Will anyone question the NY Yankees/Steinbrenner field $40 million upgrade?