Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJuly 27, 2018

Columbia County Sheriff Mark Hunter has been elected as the new president of the Florida Sheriffs Association, the group announced Friday morning. Hunter, a 24-year law enforcement veteran and Columbia County native, takes over leadership of the group representing the state’s 67 county sheriffs from Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson. “The Florida Sheriffs Association could not […]

Scott PowersMarch 13, 2018

Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary breezed to re-election Tuesday, garnering more than 70 percent of the vote in easily defeating Jim Fitch. Leary, first elected mayor in 2015 during a much more contentious growth period for Winter Park, sought re-election pointing to more controlled but still steady growth, while Fitch tried to contend that the […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2017

Screen-Shot-2016-02-18-at-6.01.08-PM-1024x1024.png

Candidates for legislative office would have to live in their districts when they qualify to run under a constitutional change cleared Wednesday. The Constitution Revision Commission‘s Legislative Committee OK’d the proposal (P50), filed by Commissioner and former state Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, unanimously and without debate. Diaz also chairs the committee. The constitution now says a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJuly 5, 2017

If you would have told Denise Grimsley in December she was about to launch a run for statewide office, she probably wouldn’t have believed you. It wasn’t something she was thinking about back then. She had already filed for re-election in the Florida Senate, but was starting to think about whether she wanted to run […]

Scott PowersJune 30, 2017

The last-ditch politicking has begun behind closed doors at an Orlando airport hotel. Freshman state Reps. Byron Donalds of Naples, Erin Grall of Vero Beach, Jamie Grant of Tampa and Paul Renner of Palm Coast, and most of the other 23 Republicans in the class gathered Friday at the Orlando International Airport Hampton Inn & Suites, […]

Blake DowlingJune 24, 2017

Only in the world of politics can an election take place with both sides claiming they got the W. In college football, it’s simple; you win or you lose — unless you are a Tennessee fan, then you get to be a “champion of life.” I am sure Tennessee Coach Butch Jones meant well when […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 27, 2017

Looks like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won’t be moving to Tallahassee any time soon. According to a Northwest Florida Daily News report, Huckabee told attendees of the annual Okaloosa County Republican Party Lincoln Dinner on Saturday that he was not interested in running for governor of Florida. “There may be somebody thinking about it, […]

Scott PowersFebruary 13, 2017

Winter Park businessman Chris King is mulling a 2018 Democratic run for governor in Florida, sources close to him said Monday. While not highly active in Central Florida political circles, King, president and CEO of Elevation Financial Group in Winter Park has been exploring prospects, with national consultants based in Washington D.C., of an outsider’s run with […]

Scott PowersJanuary 14, 2017

Stephen-Bittel-press-conference-e1484427502609-3500x1391.jpg

Newly-elected Florida Democratic Party Chair Stephen Bittel isn’t the kind of guy who shies away from a fight. And judging by his resounding victory Saturday, after a nasty campaign against four other candidates for the Party leadership, he doesn’t fight to lose. “Contentious elections are reflective that there are Democrats all over Florida that are passionate, committed to […]

Larry GriffinNovember 8, 2016

The race for Senate District 15 pitted Victor Torres against Peter Vivaldi, and Torres, a Democrat, came out on top. Torres won with 56 percent of the vote to Vivaldi’s 44 percent. Torres was at odds with Vivaldi’s conservatism, with Vivaldi, a youth minister, being strongly opposed to abortion and picking up a slew of endorsements […]

Columbia Sheriff Mark Hunter new sheriffs’ association leader

Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary breezes to re-election

Constitutional change on candidate residency OK’d by panel

Denise Grimsley says ag, biz background sets her apart in crowded Agriculture Commissioner race

Speaker contest underway for 2022 House leadership

Blake Dowling: 2018 is coming, time to tighten up voter tech

Report: Mike Huckabee not interested in running for Florida governor in 2018

Winter Park businessman Chris King mulling gubernatorial run

Stephen Bittel promises rapid growth as new Florida Democratic Party chief

Victor Torres defeats Peter Vivaldi to win Senate District 15 seat