Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschOctober 18, 2017

Three GOP lawmakers from Florida’s Panhandle are lending their support to fellow state Rep. Frank White to become the state’s attorney general, the campaign announced. Reps. Brad Drake of Eucheeanna, Jayer Williamson of Pace, and Mel Ponder of Destin endorsed White, of Pensacola, on Wednesday. White “will be the Attorney General Florida needs,” Drake said […]

Peter SchorschOctober 17, 2017

An organization dedicated to ending violence against women and girls lauded Florida lawmakers Tuesday for filing bills that would make child marriage illegal under state law. Republicans Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto and Reps. Jeanette Nuñez and Frank White filed identical bills in the House and Senate – HB 335 and SB 140 – that would outlaw […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 13, 2017

Jay Fant, in his bid for Attorney General, collected three endorsements this week, coming on the heels his $750,000 campaign loan. For Fant, a Republican state representative from Jacksonville, the capital infusion was a big deal; it brought him closer, in cash on hand, to Ashley Moody — the retired Hillsborough judge who already collected $850,000 […]

Drew WilsonOctober 11, 2017

Don’t call it a comeback, because it isn’t yet. Former Rep. Mike Hill opened a campaign account to return to the House last month, but his first three weeks on the trail haven’t put much of a dent into Rebekah Bydlak’s lead in Escambia County-based HD 1, where current Rep. Clay Ingram faces term limits in 2018. […]

Staff ReportsJuly 13, 2017

Rep. Matt Caldwell has the unanimous backing of his colleague from the Panhandle for Agriculture Commissioner. Caldwell’s campaign announced that the entire Panhandle House delegation — Rep. Brad Drake, Clay Ingram, Mel Ponder, Frank White, Jay Trumbull, and Jayer Williamson — has endorsed him for Agriculture Commissioner. The endorsements were billed as the first wave of […]

Staff ReportsJune 5, 2017

A disgruntled former employee opened fire inside a Florida awning manufacturer on Monday, killing five workers there and then killing himself, officials said. The gunman was armed with a knife and a gun but did not stab anyone, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said during a news conference. Demings said the shooter — who had […]

Peter SchorschMay 21, 2017

Freshman House Republicans are inching closer to picking their leader, holding a weekend caucus meeting to hear from candidates. A majority of GOP freshmen met this weekend at a Central Florida law firm to discuss the 2022 Speaker’s Race. The meeting, which was first reported by Matt Dixon of POLITICO Florida, comes about a week after […]

Peter SchorschMay 8, 2017

Even after meeting dozens of times throughout the 2017 Legislative Session, the House GOP freshman caucus failed to adopt new rules on how to pick a leader. A caucus to ratify rules — drafted by Reps. Ralph Massullo and Michael Grant — to guide the freshman class’s decision-making process met Friday during a break in the […]

Jim RosicaMay 1, 2017

The Senate on Monday passed the House’s Supreme Court reporting bill, but after Sen. Anitere Flores had tacked on as an amendment her plan to expand the use of juvenile civil citations. Without debate, senators passed the measure (HB 301) on a 35-1 vote. Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, was the lone ‘no’ vote. Because of the […]

A.G. GancarskiApril 20, 2017

A bill seeking to expand what optometrists could do — namely, performing surgery and prescribing opiates — was an agenda item in the Florida House Health and Human Services Committee Thursday. However, the bill at the center of Florida’s Eyeball Wars went unheard. HB 1037, sponsored by Rep. Manny Diaz, barely cleared Health and Human Services […]

Tag: Frank White

Frank White gets endorsements from N.W. Fla. lawmakers

Tahirih Justice Center thanks lawmakers for bills banning child marriage

Money, endorsements for Jay Fant; Frank White enters GOP AG race

Rebekah Bydlak adds $14K for HD 1 bid, as Mike Hill struggles out of the gate

Panhandle House delegation unanimously backs Matt Caldwell for Ag Commish

Florida leaders react to the shooting in Orlando

Speaker’s race heads toward June 30 vote after weekend meeting

House GOP freshmen fail to adopt rules for Speaker’s race, putting leadership battle into chaos

Senate adds civil citations, passes Supreme Court reporting bill

‘Eyeball Wars’ bill, slated for House committee, goes unheard Thursday