Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 23, 2017

Two bills that would increase Bright Future scholarship benefits and rework how colleges and universities measure progress and deal with top professors sailed through the Florida Senate Education Committee Monday. Senate Bills 2 and 4, both introduced by Sen. Bill Galvano, drew some concerns about how they might affect non-traditional and working students but little […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 20, 2017

Tampa Republican state Senator Dana Young will announce her legislation to ban fracking next week, her office said on Friday. During her successful campaign to win the Senate District 18 seat last fall, Young promised that she would introduce such a ban, after she was accused of actually supporting the controversial practice of extracting natural gas and oil during the […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2017

A large protest is being planned this weekend at the Suwannee River State Park against the construction of the Sabal Trail Pipeline. Activists fear that the $3.2 billion, 515-mile natural gas pipeline that is intended to run through North Florida into Central Florida will create a huge environmental calamity and contaminate the state’s drink water supply. Construction […]

Jim RosicaJanuary 10, 2017

Democratic lawmakers and representatives of progressive organizations Tuesday stood in support of a gun safety bill (SB 254). Whether it gets heard this year is an open question. Among other things, it would outlaw the sale, transfer or possession “of an assault weapon or large-capacity magazine” in Florida. As of Tuesday afternoon, the measure – […]

Peter SchorschDecember 9, 2016

It will come as no surprise that trial lawyers are looking to shoot the moon this Legislative Session. They already made a power play during the 2016 election cycle. The Florida Justice Association, through its political committee Florida Justice PAC, spent $4.5 million since the beginning of 2015, much of which went to candidates or […]

Peter SchorschOctober 6, 2016

Many tidbits come across my desk, but this one jumped off my screen: Gary Farmer was just “awarded” an A+ rating by … wait for it … the National Rifle Association. If that doesn’t shock you, allow me to explain. During a very heated Democratic primary battle versus Jim Waldman in Senate District 34, the NRA’s […]

Peter SchorschAugust 29, 2016

When the dust settled after Florida’s 2014 elections, there was one clear loser: Florida’s trial attorneys. Here’s what I wrote in my column identifying the winners and losers of that election cycle: You know how sometimes there is a really sh*tty movie released that, despite the bad reviews and poor showing at the box office, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 26, 2016

Florida Democrats posted big fundraising numbers in the second reporting period of 2016. State records show the Florida Democratic Party raised more than $4.7 million between April 1 and Aug. 25. That sum accounts for non-federal funds, and is more than double what the Florida Democratic Party raised in the second period of 2012. “We’re […]

Scott PowersAugust 21, 2016

Consumer advocate lawyer Gary Farmer has established a seven-point lead over state Rep. Gwyn Clarke-Reed and former state Rep. Jim Waldman in the Democratic primary contest for Florida’s Senate District 34, a newly released poll shows. The poll finds Farmer with 28 percent support, Clarke-Reed with 21 percent and Waldman with 13 percent. Significantly, 39 percent […]

Peter SchorschJuly 9, 2016

In a case of “he said, he said,” two Florida legislative candidates are running full speed away from the National Rifle Association. Here’s the back-and-forth. On Friday, Democrat Jim Waldman blasted Gary Farmer’s campaign for getting it wrong. In an email to supporters, Waldman wrote: “(A) political committee led by Gary Farmer is spreading lies about my […]

Tag: Gary Farmer

Bill Galvano’s higher-ed reform bills sail through Senate committee

Dana Young to unveil anti-fracking legislation next week

Nearly 90,000 people have signed Tim Canova’s petition to stop Sabal Trail Pipeline

Progressive coalition supports Linda Stewart’s assault weapon ban

Trial lawyers must be very happy with Florida Senate committee assignments

Despite vow to ‘take on’ gun lobby, Gary Farmer earns an A+ rating from NRA. How?

Trial lawyers with most to gain in Florida’s primary elections

Florida Dems raised $4.7 million in second fundraising period of 2016

Poll: Gary Farmer leading in SD 34 Democratic primary

SD 34 contenders trade barbs over Jim Waldman’s NRA votes