Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2017

House Republican leaders defended their assault on Gov. Rick Scott‘s economic development and incentive plans, saying success in business shouldn’t depend on a government handout. Speaker Richard Corcoran and state Rep. Jose Oliva, slated to be speaker in 2018-20, spoke with reporters Tuesday after Scott’s State of the State address before a joint session of […]

Jim RosicaMarch 5, 2017

This is the first legislative session that South Florida’s Oscar Braynon II will be the Senate’s Democratic Leader. The 40-year-old, who succeeded term-limited former Leader Arthenia Joyner, was first elected in 2011 after serving in the House and on the Miami Gardens City Council before that. Though he’s in the minority, Braynon has high hopes […]

Jim RosicaMarch 5, 2017

Get ready for a rumble: Lawmakers will again tackle the sticky issue of alimony in the 2017 Legislative Session. Companion bills filed in the House and Senate aim to overhaul state alimony law to toughen the standards by which alimony is granted and changed. That’s despite unsuccessful tries in the last few years. Neither bill […]

Jim RosicaMarch 5, 2017

With competing legislation now set up in both chambers, the question remains whether lawmakers finally will pass a gambling overhaul or whether the effort will founder as it has in years past. Hanging in the balance is a new blackjack exclusivity deal for the Seminole Tribe of Florida that promises a cut to the state […]

Michael MolineMarch 2, 2017

Affordable housing advocates urged the Legislature Thursday to spend all of the state’s dedicated housing money for its intended purpose, saying that more than 910,000 Floridians pay more than half their income for shelter. Representatives of the Sadowski Housing Coalition — including Associated Industries of Florida, AARP, the Florida Realtors Association, the Florida Chamber of […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 27, 2017

An appeal to a federal judge’s ruling allowing the Seminole Tribe to keep offering blackjack at its Florida casinos now has been scheduled for an April 11 mediation, court dockets show. The state’s lawyers had asked the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for more time to file their initial brief in the appeal. […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 27, 2017

With the 2017 Legislative Session fast approaching, House Speaker Richard Corcoran and Gov. Rick Scott still have not released their appointees for the upcoming Constitution Revision Commission. It’s the panel that meets every 20 years to suggest rewrites and additions to the state’s governing document. Chief Justice Jorge Labarga and Senate President Joe Negron have already […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 25, 2017

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is set for a tough reelection battle next year, but for some reason Sabato’s Crystal Ball decided look past that and peg him as the likely victor in 2018. The blog post lists Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat as leaning toward the Democrats and even goes so far as to give […]

Associated PressFebruary 23, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott‘s administration is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by House Speaker Richard Corcoran. A Leon County circuit judge held a brief hearing Thursday over Corcoran’s lawsuit that maintains the Florida Lottery broke the law when it approved a more than $700-million contract with IGT Global Solutions to help run […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 22, 2017

Florida’s top lawmakers and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam are struggling with low name identification among likely Republican voters, but that isn’t the case for Attorney General Pam Bondi according to a new poll from statewide business advocate Associated Industries of Florida. The AIF poll of likely Republican voters obtained by FloridaPolitics.com found that 54 percent […]

Tag: Gov. Rick Scott
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing;s Javier Bermudez and Chad Fraser bring water to Helene victims in Bradenton. Image via Gold Coast.

Jose Oliva talks doughnuts and incentives after Rick Scott speech

2017 Legislative Session preview: Oscar Braynon on juvenile justice, incentives and Chance the Rapper

2017 Legislative Session preview: Alimony rears its head

2017 Legislative Session preview: Showdown over gambling—again

Sadowski Coalition seeks full funding for affordable housing in state budget

Blackjack appeal now headed to mediation

Richard Corcoran, Rick Scott still holding on constitutional panel picks

Is Bill Nelson’s re-election race really a “Lean Democrat” in 2018?

Rick Scott to court: Throw out Richard Corcoran’s Lottery lawsuit

Pam Bondi still a rock star with Florida’s GOP voters, new AIF poll shows