Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Brendan FarringtonJune 25, 2017

Florida has more registered Democrats than Republicans, but the balance of power in government doesn’t even come close to reflecting that. Despite a 2010 constitutional amendment aimed at preventing political gerrymandering, Republicans dominate Florida politics. Democrats only hold 41 of 120 state House seats, 15 of 40 Senate seats and are outnumbered in in the […]

Guest AuthorApril 19, 2017

Florida has a once in a generation opportunity to fix our “rigged” political system via the Constitution Revision Commission. If you’re like me, you don’t need some expert to tell you about the adverse effects of gerrymandering. Acrimonious partisan rhetoric, high-dollar campaign financing, and a terrible closed primary system locking out 3.1 million independent voters […]

Jac VerSteegApril 24, 2016

Steve Crisafulli, speaker of the Florida House, heaped disdain on the Florida Supreme Court’s 5-2 decision to suspend the state’s 24-hour waiting period for an abortion. “I can’t say I’m surprised,” Crisafulli said in a statement. “In my opinion, this has been one of the most activist and overreaching state Supreme Courts in recent memory. […]

Martin DyckmanApril 15, 2016

If only the Florida Constitution included a provision like this: (1) Members of the Legislature who vote for measures subsequently held unconstitutional shall be liable jointly and severally for all attorney fees and costs as established by the court. (2) Failure to pay such liabilities within 60 days of final judgment shall constitute disqualification for […]

Martin DyckmanApril 14, 2016

If only the Florida Constitution included a provision like this: (1) Members of the Legislature who vote for measures subsequently held unconstitutional shall be liable jointly and severally for all attorney fees and costs as established by the court. (2) Failure to pay such liabilities within 60 days of final judgment shall constitute disqualification for […]

Bill RuftyFebruary 27, 2016

Want the boss’ job? For Susannah Randolph, you run for it. Randolph, 41, an Orlando Democrat, has been the district director for U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson … both times. Now that Grayson, an Orlando Democrat, is running for the U.S. Senate, Randolph is running for his seat from Florida’s 9th Congressional District. Democrats actually have […]

Scott PowersJanuary 14, 2016

Saying she is following on President Barack Obama‘s plea in his State of the Union speech to end gerrymandering, Democratic congressional candidate Susannah Randolph said Thursday she’s launching a petition effort to end the practice nationally. Randolph, running in the Orlando-based Congressional District 9, said she has begun a petition gathering effort calling for an […]

Melissa RossDecember 7, 2015

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown is pursuing a federal lawsuit, Brown v. Detzner, in the wake of the Florida Supreme Court’s approval of a redrawn congressional map for the state. Brown, along with the Congressional Black Caucus, argue that the change means “substantial retrogression” for African-American communities, along with significant dilution of the black vote in […]

Martin DyckmanDecember 1, 2015

The corpus delicti lay in plain view. The circumstantial evidence was obvious. Everyone knew who did it. The courts, though, couldn’t act without proof the offense was deliberate. That’s not about a crime in the usual sense. Rather, it describes why it’s taking so long to replace the Legislature’s gerrymandered voting districts with maps that […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 30, 2015

The corpus delicti lay in plain view. The circumstantial evidence was obvious. Everyone knew who did it. The courts, though, couldn’t act without proof the offense was deliberate. That’s not about a crime in the usual sense. Rather, it describes why it’s taking so long to replace the Legislature’s gerrymandered voting districts with maps that […]

Tag: gerrymandering

Florida politics lopsided despite required fair districts

Steve Hough: Florida’s chance to fix its ‘rigged’ election system

Jac VerSteeg: House bullies attack Florida Supreme Court

Martin Dyckman: Courts failed organizations that won redistricting fight

Martin Dyckman: Courts failed organizations that won redistricting fight

Susannah Randolph takes on congressional run with deep knowledge

Susannah Randolph wants national anti-gerrymandering effort

Corrine Brown’s federal lawsuit “has very little chance of succeeding”

Martin Dyckman: Florida should adopt an independent redistricting commission

Martin Dyckman: Florida should adopt an independent redistricting commission