Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 20, 2016

A political convention is often called “the Super Bowl” of politics, and that’s true in this respect: There are a sh*tload of reporters on hand around, and not that many storylines that are unique. Hence, the constant discussion of Melania Trump‘s speech on Monday night. Donald Trump‘s top campaign aide, Paul Manafort, said early Tuesday […]

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2016

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St. Petersburg attorney Ben Diamond is going up with his first television ad in his House District 68 campaign. Coincidentally or not, it comes a day after his Democratic opponent, Eric Lynn, announced his first ad would begin airing today. The 30-second ad starts with a narrator saying about the candidate that he “knows how to defeat powerful special interests to help […]

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2016

If I’m Joni Ernst, I’m a little p.o.’d this morning. The Iowa senator and some others came on to the stage at “The Q” last night at 11:15 p.m., as delegates were flooding out of the arena. They were leaving after hearing a very hawkish Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn rail against political correctness, among other […]

Mitch PerryJuly 18, 2016

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Pinellas County House District 68 Democrat Eric Lynn will begin airing a local 30-second television ad that will run through the primary election on August 30. The ad begins with Lynn taking a stroll with his wife, kids and dog, and then places him in front of the Vinoy Hotel. A photo with President Barack Obama also makes an appearance. Lynn […]

Mitch PerryJuly 13, 2016

Running for political office after a (not intended) six-year exile, Charlie Crist conducted a one-hour listening session with a group of approximately 20 Pinellas County small businessmen and women Wednesday afternoon in Clearwater. Among the things he learned was how onerous it is to file the paperwork for a Small Business Administration loan, and how difficult it is […]

Peter SchorschJuly 12, 2016

‘Tis the season. It’s that most wonderful time of the year when candidates running in this fall’s elections begin to make the rounds at candidate forums, hob nobs, straw polls and Tiger Bay debates. It’s at these events candidates can begin to distinguish themselves from their opponents with a quick retort — or a regrettable gaffe. […]

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

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 PerryJuly 1, 2016

Eric Lynn raised an impressive amount of money in his bid for Congress in Florida’s 13th Congressional District in 2015 and the first part of 2016, and that fundraising prowess continues now that he’s running for a state House seat. The Lynn campaign announced Friday the former Defense Department adviser had raised over $105,000 in the first 24 days […]

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 […]

Tag: Eric Lynn

Mitch Perry Report for 7.20.16 — Vetting Paul Manafort

Ben Diamond now puts up his first ad in his HD 68 contest

Mitch Perry Report for 7.19.16 — Donald Trump’s short attention span theatre

Eric Lynn goes up with first TV ad in HD 68 race in Pinellas County

Charlie Crist takes time to hear from small business owners

5 reasons I’m looking forward to tonight’s “Popcorn & Politics” event

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

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

Eric Lynn’s fundraising prowess continues in HD 68 race in June

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