Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaNovember 17, 2015

State Sens. Nancy Detert and Jack Latvala delivered a one-two punch to the state’s moribund Film Office, essentially telling Film Commissioner Niki Welge she was being set up for failure. Welge appeared Tuesday before the Senate Commerce and Tourism committee, which Detert — a Venice Republican — chairs. Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, is another member. […]

Phil AmmannNovember 10, 2015

Jack Latvala is saying “no way” to hunting at Honeymoon Island State Park. On Tuesday, the Clearwater Republican state senator sent a letter to Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Jon Steverson asking him to remove Pinellas County’s Honeymoon Island State Park from a list of potential locations for hunting. This week, Craig Pittman […]

Peter SchorschNovember 9, 2015

The state Senate’s Republican members will meet Dec. 2 to formally select state Sen. Joe Negron as Senate President-designate for the 2016-18 Legislative Term. Senate President Andy Gardiner announced the move in a Monday press release, making official what FloridaPolitics.com first reported last week: That state Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, had ceded the race to […]

Peter SchorschNovember 5, 2015

The bitter race between Jack Latvala and Joe Negron for the Florida Senate presidency has come to an end. “I am withdrawing from the race for Senate President,” said Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, in an exclusive to FloridaPolitics.com. “I am supporting Joe Negron for Senate President.” The deal for Latvala? “I will be Appropriations Chairman,” […]

Drew WilsonNovember 3, 2015

A conservative group came out against Gov. Rick Scott’s economic incentives plan Tuesday, deriding it as corporate welfare and saying it lacks transparency. Americans for Prosperity Florida director Chris Hudson said his group agreed with Scott’s call for broad-based tax cuts at his 2015 State of the State address, as well as his statement that […]

Drew WilsonNovember 3, 2015

A trio of bills that would help disabled Floridians find employment and manage their personal finances cleared their Senate committee stops Tuesday, all with unanimous votes. The bills – SB 376, SB 388 and SB 7010 – are collectively known as the “cradle to career pathway” in the upper chamber, an initiative aimed at improving […]

Peter SchorschNovember 2, 2015

When Jack Latvala isn’t pulling in a six-figure monthly haul for his political committee, it would appears he’s hard at work pulling in a six-figure monthly haul for his re-election campaign. Latvala’s campaign has pulled in $172,752 in the first 19 days it was in operation, and only spent $6,090, leaving his campaign account with $166,662 cash […]

Drew WilsonOctober 31, 2015

Early committee finance numbers for Republican Sens. Jack Latvala and Joe Negron show the two rivals for Senate President are as close as ever in fundraising. Latvala’s outfit, Florida Leadership Committee, entered October with a little more than $1.6 million on-hand, and the committee should get a little boost above that mark once final reports […]

Peter SchorschOctober 29, 2015

Did Don Gaetz really say what he said on Wednesday? Did he really apologize for not putting people under oath when his Senate – for the first time in memory – had to plead guilty to violating the Constitution? Did he really use a point of personal privilege to give a speech that should have […]

Gary FineoutOctober 29, 2015

Amid an ugly political brawl in which one senator publicly accused another of being a bully, the Florida Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved a new map for the state’s 40 senate districts. But some senators predicted shortly after the 22-18 vote that the proposal may not pass the Republican-controlled Florida House. That’s because the Senate […]

Tag: Jack Latvala
Stock image via Adobe.

Senate panel rakes over state’s film commissioner and incentives deal

Jack Latvala says “no way” to Honeymoon Island hunting

Joe Negron to be formally voted Senate President next month

Jack Latvala ends Senate presidency bid, will support Joe Negron, and be Appropriations chief

Americans for Prosperity blasts Rick Scott’s economic incentive plan as “risky”

Senate committee approves 3 “cradle to career” bills

Jack Latvala raises more than $172K in first 19 days of re-election campaign

Fundraising reports show Senate rivals Jack Latvala, Joe Negron close as ever

On Don Gaetz, Jack Latvala, and bullies

What’s next after Florida Senate narrowly approves new Senate map