Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryAugust 19, 2015

(Update: Jeff Brandes & Uber respond). This past week St. Petersburg-based state Sen. Jeff Brandes said that he intends to once again introduce legislation in next year’s Regular Session to reform the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission. Brandes, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, was reacting to the news that the PTC, which regulates commercial vehicle […]

Mitch PerryAugust 19, 2015

Tampa Bay area Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor says she’s not ready to say whether she supports the Iran nuclear deal, but will within the next week or so. “I’m still visiting with constituents and doing my research,” Castor told reporters who gathered to speak with her after she participated in a news conference on […]

Mitch PerryAugust 19, 2015

Earlier this year, a group of Spanish-language journalists and community leaders sent a letter to the respective chairs of the Florida Republican and Democratic parties, calling on them to hire a bilingual spokesperson to “successfully relay your message to the Latino media.” Leading the effort was Fort Lauderdale Latina activist Evelyn Perez-Verdia, who argues that, with a growing Latino community that […]

Mitch PerryAugust 19, 2015

All summer, we’ve heard blowhards like Joe Scarborough inform the supposedly stuffy talking heads that they just don’t get it about the phenomenon that is Donald Trump. He likes to remind viewers that his brother, an alleged sophisticated Republican voter, really loves The Donald, and thus that explains why about 25 percent of Republican voters […]

Mitch PerryAugust 18, 2015

Donald Trump and Alan Grayson may not have a lot in common politically these days, but they are both capable of verbal bombast. In every interview or press conference of late, Trump always refers to his high-standing rankings in the current polls. Similarly, Grayson, the Orlando-based member of Congress now running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. […]

Mitch PerryAugust 18, 2015

The issue of denying citizenship for children born in the U.S. to undocumented immigrants has always been considered somewhat of a fringe idea, even amongst some of the biggest hawks fighting illegal immigration. The issue has come to the forefront this week after GOP presidential contender Donald Trump unveiled his white paper on immigration on Sunday, […]

Mitch PerryAugust 18, 2015

CD 13 Democratic candidate Eric Lynn, the only declared candidate in the Pinellas County congressional race, announced his campaign team Tuesday, and it includes two nationally known figures who played important parts in getting Barack Obama elected president twice. Bill Burton and Anita Dunn from the political communications firm SKDKnickerbocker have signed on to the […]

Mitch PerryAugust 18, 2015

A CNN/ORC national poll released Tuesday morning shows that even after his uneven performance at the first GOP debate and subsequent controversy with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Donald Trump remains the dominant candidate in the Republican presidential race, getting 24 percent of the vote. Jeb Bush is second with 13 percent. Retired pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson is third […]

Mitch PerryAugust 18, 2015

Four years ago, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty was considered a strong challenger to Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination. Then the Iowa Straw Poll happened. Pawlenty fared poorly, and on August 11, 2011, he was stunningly out of the race. Flash forward four years later: Is Scott Walker this year’s version of Tim Pawlenty? Walker has […]

Mitch PerryAugust 17, 2015

Shoring up Social Security and Medicare are among the issues Alan Grayson has said he wants to emphasize as a candidate for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination. Following up on that promise, Grayson has unveiled a proposal that would increase Social Security retirement benefits and tie future increases to a new cost-of-living index. The Orlando Democrat says […]

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Donald Trump. Image via AP.

Hillsborough County to study costs if PTC is eliminated

Kathy Castor still not ready to discuss publicly Iran nuclear deal

Florida Dems now looking to hire a bilingual spokesperson

Mitch Perry Report for 8.19.15 — Fun with Donald Trump’s immigration plans

Alan Grayson very confident about Senate chances a year out

Several GOP presidential candidates support ending birthright citizenship; what about Florida GOP Senate candidates?

Eric Lynn’s campaign team includes high-profile Obama staff

Donald Trump leads Jeb Bush, 24%-13% in new CNN national poll

Mitch Perry Report for 8.18.15 – It’s not going as planned for Scott Walker

Alan Grayson explains his Social Security bill, why it can pass Congress