Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Ryan RayJanuary 14, 2016

A massive gathering of protesters shouting chants of “Enough is enough!” and “Our children are not for sale!” shook the walls of the Old Capitol Thursday as they expressed opposition to new education policy changes coming out of the GOP-led Legislature. Educators bused in from as far away as Miami convened to hear from union […]

A.G. GancarskiDecember 15, 2015

A key difference between the Senate campaigns of Rep. Ron DeSantis and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera: the endorsements they roll out. DeSantis has been heavy on big national names, whereas Lopez-Cantera’s list has been heavy on local and state Republicans, as seen with Tuesday morning’s rollout of endorsements from people who arguably know him best: Republicans […]

Associated PressDecember 7, 2015

About 5,200 Florida teaches will receive bonuses as part of a program that rewards instructors based on how they scored on college admissions exams. The Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program will reward more than $8,400 to each instructor by April 1, The Orlando Sentinel reported. The program, which ties bonuses to teachers’ scores on […]

Drew WilsonNovember 12, 2015

The first campaign finance report for House District 114 Democratic hopeful Daisy Baez is in, and she’s already making up ground on her competition for termed-out Rep. Erik Fresen’s seat. Baez raised $14,078 during her first month on the trail, besting Republican front-runner John Couriel and surpassing the other three candidates’ on-hand totals thus far. […]

Mitch PerryOctober 15, 2015

Among the assets that still make Jeb Bush a formidable general election candidate is his ease and connection with the Latino community, something that no other Republican brings to the table. Illustrating that connection is the Bush campaign’s announcement on Thursday of his Hispanic leadership committee, consisting of 228 people spread out over 20 states, as […]

Drew WilsonOctober 13, 2015

Republican House District 114 candidate John Couriel had a breakout fundraising performance in September, vaulting him far ahead of the other three candidates competing for the seat currently held by termed-out Republican Erik Fresen. Couriel already had a sizable lead heading into September, but on the back of a $28,848 fundraising effort the Coral Gables […]

Peter SchorschOctober 5, 2015

Miami Democrat Daisy Baez is giving it another go in House District 114 and this time there isn’t an incumbent Republican standing in her way. The U.S. Army veteran filed for the seat on Friday and is the third Democrat in the race behind Ross Hancock and Alberto Santana. Baez took 44 percent of the […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 9, 2015

Let’s review some of the factors influencing the non-news of a teacher shortage. On Sept. 1, Alpine Testing Solutions, the company hired to assess the validity of the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), found that the test could be used at the “group level” to evaluate teachers, establish cut scores to measure student achievement and give […]

Phil AmmannAugust 27, 2015

Mission: NEXT, Jeb Bush’s NASA-inspired bundler program for young Republicans, lands in Miami next month for a fundraising reception hosted by Jeb Bush, Jr. The event, which focuses on donors under 40, begins 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 24 at American Social, 690 SW 1st Court in Miami. Evening reception tickets start at $250 – with […]

Gary FineoutMay 3, 2015

During the recently-concluded legislative session, Senate President Andy Gardiner constantly warned about the threat to the state’s hospitals if they were to lose more than $1 billion that now comes from the federal government. There’s a good reason Gardiner understands hospitals: he works for one. Gardiner’s employment is legal, but it highlights a common practice […]

Tag: Erik Fresen

Teachers use their “outside voices” to protest state education changes

Carlos Lopez-Cantera rolls out big South Florida/Miami-Dade endorsements

About 5,200 teachers to receive test-score bonuses

HD 114 hopeful Daisy Baez gains fundraising ground in October

Jeb Bush announces 228-member Hispanic Leadership Committee

GOP hopeful John Couriel breaks out in September fundraising for HD 114

Democrat Daisy Baez giving it another go in HD 114

Catherine Martinez: If policies stand, teacher shortage will worsen

Jeb Bush’s “Mission: NEXT” bundler program lands in Miami Sept. 24

Florida legislators push bills tied to their private jobs