Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 17, 2018

Senate District 18 presumptive winner Janet Cruz is again declaring victory in her bid to unseat incumbent Republican Dana Young. After a manual recount conducted in Hillsborough County, Cruz — who was last the House Democratic Leader — maintains a 382-vote lead over Young, according to the Florida Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. Cruz’s victory is […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 15, 2018

The machine recount in the Senate District 18 race between Janet Cruz and Dana Young came short 800 votes of the reported Election Day results, the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections confirmed Thursday. As a result, the agency is using its “first unofficial count” reported last week to send back to the state’s Division of […]

Jacob OglesNovember 10, 2018

Democrat Janet Cruz holds a 376-vote lead over Republican state Sen. Dana Young with all votes counted in Florida Senate District 18. The recount for the race was ordered by the Department of State on Saturday. Florida law calls for a machine recount if the difference between vote totals for candidates falls with 0.5 percent. […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 9, 2018

Janet Cruz’s lead over Dana Young in their Florida Senate District 18 race grew to 355 overnight after the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Canvassing Board began counting provisional ballots and uncounted vote-by-mail ballots. Cruz’s lead had been just shy of 300. The outgoing House Democratic Leader had challenged Young, a Republican, for the state Senate […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 8, 2018

Democrat Janet Cruz is declaring herself the winner in the Florida Senate District 18 race against incumbent Republican Dana Young despite a narrow margin that will trigger an automatic recount. With all early and Election Day votes counted, Cruz leads Young by just 355 votes (about 0.17 percent) out of 207,533 votes counted. “I believe in […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 7, 2018

State Rep. Janet Cruz looks poised to take over for Dana Young in Senate District 18, but not before the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections conducts an official recount of the razor-thin race. Florida law requires a recount in races separated by one-half a percentage points or fewer of the total votes in a race. The gap […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 7, 2018

GOP state Sen. Dana Young‘s future in the Florida Senate is still uncertain after a nail-biter race against Democratic state Rep. Janet Cruz. With nearly 200,000 votes cast in the Senate District 18 contest, the two were separated by 289 votes late Tuesday, with Cruz holding a slender advantage. If that margin holds, it would trigger an […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 6, 2018

The 2018 midterm election is widely considered one of the most contentious in recent history. Like all midterm elections, it’s serving as a referendum on the party in power in Washington. But fueled by the overtly contentious Donald Trump administration, Democrats are fired up to send an anti-Trump message this election. That message is trickling […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 6, 2018

Longtime Florida politics expert Darryl Paulson says voters “appear to be saying no to both Republicans and President Trump.” “Jeff Brandes seems to be the only secure candidate at this point,” said Paulson, a former Republican, in an interview. “That is due to his incumbency, his huge financial advantage and his Democratic opponent entering the race […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 6, 2018

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Political candidates spend months rallying volunteers, knocking on doors, hobnobbing with voters at public events and, of course, raising cash. Come Election Night they’re ready, win or lose, to cut loose and either get to work or get back to their families. Whether the champagne is flowing or supporters are drowning disappointing election results at […]

Tag: Janet Cruz
Image via Palatka Main Street.

With hand recount complete, Janet Cruz wins battleground state Senate seat

Do-over: Dana Young, Janet Cruz race going to hand recount

Janet Cruz holds 376-vote lead on Dana Young as recount begins

Janet Cruz lead over Dana Young grows, but recount still imminent

Janet Cruz declares victory in close Senate race; Dana Young says not so fast

Here’s how recount in Janet Cruz, Dana Young race will work

Recount? Janet Cruz vs. Dana Young race in SD 18 still too close to call

Tampa Bay competitive ‘blue wave’ races to watch

Darryl Paulson sees possible ‘blue wave’ in Tampa Bay

It’s not the party … it’s the after party! A rundown of where Tampa Bay-area candidates will be on election night