Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryNovember 1, 2016

The Tampa Bay area gets one last, large dose of Bill and Hillary Clinton today. Hillary makes her first campaign appearance in what used to be considered a crucial bellwether — Pasco County, for an appearance this afternoon at Pasco-Hernando State College. Bill Clinton, meanwhile, makes his second appearance in the past 14 days in Pinellas County, […]

Mitch PerryAugust 26, 2016

Incoming Florida Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jack Latvala said Friday a lack of mass transit in the Tampa Bay area has become a bigger problem than ever, and he blasted his fellow Republicans in Tallahassee for failing to lead on the issue. “We’ve got a lot of folks in my party that just bury their head in the sand when […]

Mitch PerryAugust 25, 2016

During a radio debate Thursday, House District 68 Democrat Ben Diamond challenged what exactly his opponent, Eric Lynn has done in the community, while Lynn turned around to question Diamond’s independence when it comes to the insurance industry. Those two exchanges came toward the conclusion of a 38-minute debate on Tampa radio station WMNF 88.5 this afternoon, when the […]

Mitch PerryAugust 17, 2016

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Unlike that other solar power constitutional amendment that Floridians will decide on in the fall, seemingly everyone supports Amendment Four, the only ballot measure on this month’s primary ballot. Virtually everyone that is, except Al Sharpton. The New York City-based activist and MSNBC host bashed the measure while making an appearance last week in Opa-Locka. Amendment […]

Mitch PerryAugust 17, 2016

Before Barack Obama was elected, a lot of political observers said that with such a divided nation, every president could face the potential of being impeached. I’m reminded of that today on the 18th anniversary of Bill Clinton giving a prime-time address to the nation after seven months of silence on the Monica Lewinsky matter. “I know that my […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 2, 2016

We’re on to New Hampshire, but first … Ted Cruz deserves plaudits for grinding out a great victory for himself in Iowa last night, but can he win enough delegates to earn the nomination? I maintain that he can’t and won’t, which makes Marco Rubio‘s strong third-place victory the big story going into the next […]

Mitch PerryDecember 7, 2015

(UPDATED) Last week President Obama signed into law the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act or FAST Act, a $305 billion transportation bill that will provide the state of Florida with $890 million more than it would have gotten under current funding formulas — and about $12 billion overall. “What will be most relevant for us in this bill is it will […]

Mitch PerryJuly 21, 2015

I was going to opine on John Kasich entering the GOP presidential contest this morning, but let’s get to that Wednesday. Instead, let’s talk about Florida’s U.S. Senate race, now that David Jolly is officially is in the race, along with Congressman Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and retired CIA contractor Todd Wilcox. Lately […]

Mitch PerryJune 25, 2015

Bob Buckhorn travels to Tallahassee Friday in what is being seen as his first overt move to broaden his statewide appeal in advance of 2018, when he’ll likely take a run at the Democratic nomination for governor. The Tampa mayor speaks to the Tallahassee Tiger Bay Club on Friday, as well as tape an appearance […]

Mitch PerryMay 20, 2015

Tampa public relations firm Tucker/Hall was paid more than $400,000 by the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) in 2013 and 2014 to create a public education campaign for the Greenlight Pinellas transit referendum. It was soundly defeated at the polls in November. One of the leading players for Tucker/Hall at the time was Tony Collins, the agency’s […]

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Matt Gaetz. Image via AP.

Mitch Perry Report for 11.1.16 — Russian ‘involvement’ in presidential election still a mystery

Jack Latvala says his GOP colleagues have their ‘heads in the sand when it comes to transportation’

Ben Diamond and Eric Lynn confront each during WMNF radio debate

Jeff Brandes disagrees with Al Sharpton’s critique of Amendment Four

Mitch Perry Report for 8.17.16 — Impeachment memories

Mitch Perry Report for 2.2.16 — Clinton 23 gets delegates, Sanders 21 in Iowa

FAST Act means more money for Florida transit agencies’ buses

Mitch Perry Report for 7.21.15 — Bill McCollum isn’t seriously thinking of running for Senate. Is he?

Bob Buckhorn takes his act to Tallahassee

PSTA using consultant Tony Collins, an original architect of Greenlight Pinellas plan