Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersAugust 15, 2016

This is the year that Central Florida gays step boldly into the political spotlight, joining an increasingly large outpouring of gay candidates statewide. Four openly gay Orlando-area Democratic candidates are running for election in federal and state races this year; Valleri Crabtree in Florida’s 9th Congressional District centered in south Orlando and Kissimmee; Bob Poe in […]

Scott PowersAugust 12, 2016

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who’s faced a torrent of criticism this week for agreeing to speak at a conservative Christian conference that included others with harsh gay-bashing rhetoric, used his pulpit there Friday to urge love for the gay community. “I want to be clear with you, abandoning judgment and loving our LGBT neighbors is not a […]

Scott PowersAugust 11, 2016

After having promised to help following the Pulse massacre, U.S. Sen Marco Rubio has turned his back on Orlando’s pain and added to it by appearing at a controversial conference laced with anti-gay speakers, protesters charged outside that conference Thursday. “Shame on you Marco!” was a message repeated by speaker after speaker, including by Barbara […]

Mitch PerryJuly 7, 2016

If you remember when we first heard about the tea party in early 2009, its supporters talked about having a pox on both houses — that is, they felt Republicans and Democrats were part of the same dirty cesspool that is Washington, D.C. A lot of things have changed since then, but I became a bit […]

Mitch PerryJuly 6, 2016

An online fundraiser for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting set up by Equality Florida has raised more than $7 million. The group, the primary statewide organization advocating for gay and lesbian rights in Florida, launched the GoFundMe.com site shortly after the shooting massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando that killed 49 people and injured dozens more took […]

Brendan FarringtonJune 23, 2016

Florida’s Key West is one of the most gay-friendly places in the country. The Florida Panhandle – many locals call it the Redneck Riviera – is a different story. The massacre of 49 people in a gay nightclub happened between these extremes, forcing many Floridians to reconsider their assumptions about the state’s evolving culture. Key […]

Associated PressJune 18, 2016

The largest fundraising arm for the victims of the Pulse nightclub attack reversed course Friday and will now distribute millions of dollars directly to families and survivors instead of through nonprofit agencies. The OneOrlando fund’s decision underscores the complexities of distributing huge amounts of money donated from people and businesses desperate to give some solace […]

Keith MorelliJune 15, 2016

With the outpouring of support in Orlando, the nation and the world over the massacre of 49 innocent victims inside a nightclub over the weekend, an undercurrent of hatred and ignorance bubbled to the surface across the social media spectrum. The vitriol stretched the First Amendment right of everyone in this country to freedom of […]

Keith MorelliJune 13, 2016

Equality Florida, the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group, has raised more than $1.6 million over a single day in a GoFundMe account set up Sunday for the survivors and families of victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando over the weekend. Forty-nine club patrons and the gunman were killed and […]

Peter SchorschJune 12, 2016

At a news conference Sunday afternoon, LGBT community leaders in the Orlando area gathered at The LGBT Center of Central Florida to stand in solidarity with the victims of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub early Sunday morning. They also made it a point to stand against hatred and bigotry of any kind. Led […]

Tag: Equality Florida

The year of the openly gay candidate in Central Florida and other parts of Florida

Marco Rubio uses forum at Christian conference to call for love of gay community

Orlando’s LGBT community calls shame on Marco Rubio

Mitch Perry Report for 7.7.16 — Tea Party Patriots heart Marco Rubio

Equality Florida’s Pulse Victims Fund surpasses $7 million

From Key West to Pensacola, Florida’s LGBT attitudes differ

OneOrlando fund changes course, will give money to victims

As support mounts for Orlando victims, undercurrent of hate surfaces on social media

Equality Florida raises $1.6M on GoFundMe page for Orlando shooting victims

Orlando LGBT leaders stand in solidarity against violence, bigotry, hatred after shooting