Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersApril 4, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham is getting a “Gun Sense Candidate” rating from the national group Moms Demand Action, which was formed after the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre to urge gun law reforms. “Moms never forget. Moms never give up. Every mother’s top priority is defending the safety and well-being of their children and […]

Scott PowersMarch 27, 2018

The breadth of the chasm between Second Amendment advocates and gun law reformers became apparent Tuesday when the Florida Senate’s leading pro-gun champion squared off against the same chamber’s top advocate for firearms reform at the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida. Republican state Sen. Dennis Baxley defined a fear among firearm owners that gun […]

Scott PowersMarch 22, 2018

Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson on Friday announced a federal bill that would encourage other states to follow Florida’s lead with legislation allowing law enforcement to seek court orders removing guns from dangerous individuals. Republican Rubio and Democrat Nelson were joined Thursday by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, in […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

Saying the Democratic Party needs a gubernatorial nominee with the passion to be “transformational” in addressing gun legislation, Chris King on Wednesday went after poll-leader Gwen Graham, contending that when she was in Congress she “never supported an assault weapons ban.” Speaking in Tallahassee Wednesday, King said the party needs “a champion for gun safety and […]

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2018

The House began debate Wednesday on the Legislature’s school safety bill, hastily crafted in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting at Broward County’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that claimed 17 lives. The day before, the Republican-controlled chamber beat down a slew of amendments on the measure (SB 7026), including one aimed at deleting a ‘guardian program’ […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2018

Expressing frustration with what the Florida Legislature is doing with guns and schools, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is placing another nearly $2 million buy for statewide TV commercials this month, his campaign announced Monday. The commercials will continue for a while with his “We Will” spot that launched in late February on a $750,000 […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Florida’s Republican U.S. Senator Marco Rubio on Thursday announced his Senate plan to respond to the Parkland massacre, which includes strengthening school security, providing for “restraining order” powers for police to confiscate weapons from dangerous individuals and adding to the gun purchase background-check databases. Rubio said his plan, which he called a comprehensive response, has […]

Scott PowersFebruary 26, 2018

A set of three new proposed bills in the Florida House announced Monday seek to make significant changes in the state’s gun laws. Among the proposals: Raise the minimum age for buying a gun in Florida to 21, expand the three-day waiting period to cover the purchase of all firearms, ban “bump stocks,” and create […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 22, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott’s absence from the CNN town hall on gun reform and his potential refusal to propose an assault weapons ban will not be forgotten by Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson — especially as the two likely will face each other for Nelson’s seat in the upcoming midterm elections. On Thursday, Nelson spoke to […]

Scott PowersFebruary 16, 2018

Declaring that Republican leadership in Tallahassee has “transformed Florida into a petri dish of experimentation for the NRA” and “utterly failed to address public health and mental health care,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King said Friday he would fight the gun lobby, veto their bills, and seek to expand coverage and ban assault weapons. The […]

Tag: guns

Gwen Graham gets approval from ‘Moms Demand Action’ gun reform group

Dennis Baxley and Linda Stewart turn debate to defining assault weapons, defense rifles

Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson introduce federal legislation for ‘red flag’ gun seizures

Chris King attacks Gwen Graham’s record on guns; she calls attack ‘predictable but sad’

School safety bill up for vote in House

Philip Levine placing another nearly $2 million in TV ads

Marco Rubio post-Parkland plan focuses on school security, restraining order seizures

New bills propose gun controls, school law enforcement frameworks, Sunshine exemptions

Bill Nelson slams Rick Scott for skipping town hall

Chris King releases post-Parkland proposal to address mental illness, ban guns

Florida politics had 11 questions before federal qualifying week. Here are the answers.