Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorOctober 22, 2014

I used to live in Florida. As I watch the contest between Florida Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Charlie Crist, I wish I could vote in the election in my former home. The outcome of the governor’s race in New York where I now vote is basically over. But the race between Scott and […]

Peter SchorschOctober 16, 2014

If the election for Florida governor were held today, less than 24 hours after Fangate or Fanghazi, it’s likely Democrat Charlie Crist would win his old job back. Not by much, but by the few points afforded to him by Republican Rick Scott’s for-the-history-books petulance. Or maybe not. Maybe there just aren’t enough undecided voters […]

Daniel TilsonOctober 16, 2014

Gov. Rick Scott’s remarkable bid for re-election in 2014 likely got blown away Wednesday night. If you haven’t heard about “Fangate” and the stunning early minutes of Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate against Democratic challenger Charlie Crist, check out the video. Words alone cannot describe it. What’s remarkable is that a governor with a history of questionable […]

Bruce RitchieOctober 16, 2014

The environment was front and center in Wednesday’s gubernatorial debate even if an electric fan received the most media attention. By now you may know that former Gov. Charlie Crist was on stage for about five minutes at the start of a televised debate without Gov. Rick Scott. That’s because of a dispute over whether […]

Guest AuthorOctober 7, 2014

The Tampa Bay Times is recommending a “no” vote for a constitutional amendment before voters in November. The proposal put forward by conservationists would allocate one-third of the documentary stamp tax required of real estate transactions to be applied to acquisition of conservation lands. In 2016, the newspaper notes, more than $600 million could be allocated to this important […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 25, 2014

In September predicting the outcome of a major election like the governor’s race in Florida is premature, to say the least. With the election more than six weeks away, there is still plenty of time for events, both planned and unplanned, to significantly affect the outcome. Every campaign fears the dreaded October Surprise. Often it […]

Diane RobertsSeptember 24, 2014

And in Florida State University news: the Heisman-winning quarterback is a clueless brat with a million-dollar arm and a five-cent head; the feds are investigating our handling of sexual assault accusations; and the new president-elect is a Koch-head political hack known for ethics violations. Higher education in Florida, y’all. The presidential “search” was a farce. […]

Daniel TilsonSeptember 24, 2014

Can Florida politics succeed where sports has failed? Can we get a grip on dangerous social reality, recognize the seriousness of the challenge, and take the right actions to meet it? When news first broke about Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice’s violent abuse of his fiancée, the NFL swept it under the artificial turf. […]

Guest AuthorSeptember 24, 2014

Third in a series about polling. Every cycle some pollsters seem to get it right. Some get it wrong. Why? To answer that question, it’s vital to understand that predicting what the electorate will look like matters — it really matters. And perhaps the single most important variable that pollsters must properly balance, especially in […]

Martin DyckmanSeptember 23, 2014

If the Legislature decrees that two plus two equals five or that water runs uphill, does that make it so? A similar question is percolating in the Florida courts. Does a blind trust constitute “full and public disclosure” of the financial interests of a public official? Common sense says no. A law passed in 2013 […]

Tag: Gov. Rick Scott

Steve Kurlander: If I could, here’s why I would vote for Crist for governor

Peter Schorsch: The two worst days of Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign

Daniel Tilson: Charlie Crist’s electric fan short-circuits Rick Scott’s re-election plan

Bruce Ritchie: Crist, Scott also got hot over environment, climate change during debate

Alan Farago: GOP forcing Floridians to use Amendment 1 to conserve vital lands

Jeff Kottkamp: In a close governor’s race, watch out for an ‘October Surprise’

Diane Roberts: The search for a new FSU president was a farce

Daniel Tilson: Ray Rice, Jameis Winston and Rick Scott: New normals?

Steve Vancore: To be accurate, pollsters must understand who is really going to vote

Martin Dyckman: Blind trusts protect the politicians, not the taxpayers