Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonFebruary 27, 2018

Former Rep. Ray Pilon is planning a return to the Legislature, but it isn’t due to the seismic shakeup caused by U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney’s announcement that he won’t run for re-election. The Sarasota Republican said in an email to Florida Politics that he plans to file for House District 72, the seat he held […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 26, 2018

Last week U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney put out the “Rooney out” message, launching a wave of speculation over who could step in and win the heavily Republican CD 17 in the fall. So far, all the GOP candidates running to replace Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam – former Winter Haven Rep. Baxter Troutman, Lehigh Acres Rep. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 18, 2018

Charlie Crist hopes things will be different this time around. Before a public appearance at Williams Park Saturday, the St. Petersburg Democrat said he was still unconvinced the Republican-led Congress will support gun control legislation, even after 17 people were massacred last week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Several hundred people gathered in downtown St. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2018

For Sarasota-area Democrats, hope springs eternal. Tuesday night, Margaret Good won a decisive seven-point victory over Republican James Buchanan in the House District 72 special election. Now Democrats are eyeing much bigger prey — Florida’s 16th Congressional District held by Vern Buchanan, who made millions owning car dealership before turning to politics in 2006, winning a hugely controversial victory over Democrat Christine Jennings. […]

Scott PowersFebruary 14, 2018

One of the key reasons Democrat Margaret Good won the House District 72 special election Tuesday was because she and the Democratic Party pushed local issues while Republicans pushed national issues, Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Juan Penalosa said Wednesday. Good beat Republican James Buchanan 53-45 in a district that has long been considered red, and […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 14, 2018

Democrat Margaret Good won Tuesday’s special election in House District 72 in a victory that will likely set off a round of Republican recriminations … and angst. Good led the race throughout Tuesday night, leading the early balloting and ending with over 52 percent of the vote, compared to 45 percent for Republican James Buchanan, to represent HD 72 […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 13, 2018

Margaret Good‘s seven-point victory in the House District 72 special election in northern Sarasota County will be celebrated by Democrats nationwide. And why not? Republicans had a roughly 13,000 registered voter advantage over Democrats in the district, which voted for Donald Trump by 4.4 points in 2016. But the trends had been pointing Good’s way in recent […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 13, 2018

All eyes are on Tuesday’s special election in Sarasota County’s House District 72 where Republican James Buchanan, Democrat Margaret Good and Libertarian Alison Foxall are running to replace former Rep. Alex Miller. The latest poll indicates that an upset is in the making — if Good beating Buchanan can be viewed as an upset. However, the race […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 13, 2018

If Margaret Good does triumph in House District 72 race tonight, it will be in no small part due to the support she’s received from Democrats and progressives throughout the country. Not only has Good, a Democrat, received campaign contributions from around the nation — especially liberal redoubts like the New York, San Francisco, and […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 12, 2018

House District 72 Democratic candidate Margaret Good has seen a flood of fundraising from the Tampa Bay area and across the nation in the last month, but in at least two cases her contributors have exceeded campaign donation limits. Two people have given to Good in excess of $1,000 for the special election on Tuesday. […]

Tag: James Buchanan

Ray Pilon planning return to House District 72

How the dominoes could fall after ‘Rooney out’

At St. Pete vigil for Parkland shooting, calls for political action

An early look at the Vern Buchanan-David Shapiro CD 16 showdown

Juan Penalosa: HD 72 showed Republicans talking national and losing; Democrats, local and winning

Blue wave forming? Margaret Good wins special election in House District 72

‘Earth-rattling event’ for Southwest Florida Democrats as Margaret Good wins in Trump country

Final poll of HD 72 special election shows an upset in the making — or not

Margaret Good campaign fueled by Democrats from across the country

Margaret Good’s campaign refunds contributions after being notified it exceeded limits