Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMay 6, 2015

Florida lawmakers are required to do two things. First, prior to taking office, each member must take an oath. That oath obliges them to “support, protect, and defend the Constitution and Government…of the State of Florida.” “I do solemnly swear…” Second, in upholding that same charter document, they must also pass a budget. The Florida […]

Jac VerSteegFebruary 9, 2015

How sad that Skip Foster, new president and publisher of the Tallahassee Democrat, has decreed that his newspaper no longer will endorse political candidates. I expect that soon he and Gannet will need to change the paper’s name to the Tallahassee No Party Affiliation. This is almost certainly a business decision. Foster, like many people […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 12, 2015

Florida needs to have a bigger role in picking the next president. Florida is the third-largest state and the state that most reflects the rest of the states demographically. Because of the way it is designed, the current national primary nomination system produces candidates elected by voters who do not reflect the majority of the party […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 11, 2015

In a column several months ago I deplored the outcomes of two election cases that brought to mind Charles Dickens’s famous phrase, “If the law says that, the law is a ass, an idiot.” In one, the First District Court of Appeal refused to reinstate a legislative candidate who had been kicked off the ballot […]

Peter SchorschDecember 29, 2014

If only the Rick Scott we got to know during this past election year had been the one who first entered the Governor’s Mansion in 2011. Remember that guy? The former health-care exec with a chip on his shoulder who bragged he was a Tea Partier before the Tea Party was cool. He was the novice politician […]

Daniel TilsonDecember 10, 2014

I’m this close to believing Florida Democratic Party (FDP) leaders can’t see the political forest full of discontent and disinterest enveloping them, due to a new reform agenda focused on “operational” tree trimming. The party responded to its Election 2014 failures the same way so many other large, out-of-touch organizations respond after taking big, embarrassing […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 4, 2014

Let’s forget Democratic and Republican dogma for a bit. Or at least overlook it. Let’s ignore Left vs. Right labeling systems used by media pundits and campaign consultants to generate storylines and get grudge match juices flowing. Let’s put the blame game that dominates the political arena aside for a while. If nothing else, consider […]

Tag: elections
Hurricane Milton satellite imagery as of 5 a.m. Oct. 7, via NOAA via AP.

Ray Hudkins: Imagine if all Florida voters were allowed to have a choice in elections

Jac Wilder VerSteeg: The rise of gutless newspapers

Bob West: How to give Florida a bigger role in picking the president

Martin Dyckman: Write-ins waste money, disenfranchise voters

Peter Schorsch: Refurbished Rick Scott is Florida’s politician of the year

Daniel Tilson: Florida Democratic Party can’t ‘LEAD’ from behind

Daniel Tilson: Choosing the pragmatic over the political in Florida election 2014