Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Janelle Irwin TaylorNovember 6, 2018

Political expert Susan MacManus doesn’t foresee a “blue tsunami” in Tampa Bay area races, but thinks a smaller wave is possible. She sees, for example, potential flips for Democrats in one Congressional race and two State Senate contests. Those include the Ross Spano/Kristen Carlson Congressional matchup in East Hillsborough and Lakeland, the Ed Hooper/Amanda Murphy state Senate […]

Drew WilsonNovember 5, 2018

House Minority Leader Janet Cruz is inches ahead of Republican state Sen. Dana Young in the battleground race for Tampa-based Senate District 18. A new survey from St. Pete Polls found Cruz with a point-and-a-half lead over Young with 7 percent of likely voters still undecided, that lead falls well within the poll’s margin of […]

Jacob OglesOctober 27, 2018

Democratic state Senate candidate Janet Cruz encouraged voters to bring friends to the polls and showed up with some prominent ones of her own—namely U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez and Senate Democratic Leader Audrey Gibson. Cruz held the first of two get-out-the-vote events at her Tampa campaign headquarters, before rallying people to go cast ballots through […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 26, 2018

The back and forth of ethics complaints between Republican state Sen. Dana Young and Democratic challenger Janet Cruz continues unabated. Young has personally filed a complaint against Cruz, alleging she spread false information in a television ad that claims Young was under investigation for supporting legislation that directly benefited her family business. “This statement is blatantly […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 24, 2018

Election Day is two weeks away. That means candidates are entering the home stretch of the midterm elections. Democrats are hoping to capitalize on the “blue wave” while Republicans are trying to keep seats for another term throughout the nation. Locally, candidates are planning to hit the pavement and take to the phones to reach […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 22, 2018

State Sen. Dana Young has raised nearly $1 million for her re-election bid against Democrat Janet Cruz. Not included in that figure is another $580,000 in in-kind contributions from the Florida Senatorial Campaign Committee. Cruz, the outgoing House Democratic Leader, had $358,000 with $160,000 more in in-kind contributions. Her fundraising haul so far also includes $60,000 […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 17, 2018

Giffords, a gun safety advocacy group, is backing outgoing House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz in the Senate District 18 race against incumbent Republican Dana Young. The group was founded by Democratic former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords, who survived an attempted assassination by a gunman in 2011. She was shot in the head and recovered; six others were […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 16, 2018

When it comes to fundraising, state Sen. Dana Young continues to outperform her Democratic opponent in the race for the Senate District 18 seat in Tampa. Young has raised about $2.6 million between her political committee and general campaign fund, $1.6 million more than outgoing House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz. Young raised $70,000 for her general campaign […]

Danny McAuliffeOctober 15, 2018

A steep staircase leads to Dana Young’s quaint Hyde Park campaign office. The space isn’t striking, but it doesn’t need to be. She points out that call station cubicles had been installed by the previous tenant, an added bonus for the temporary investment. Young, a Republican state Senator seeking re-election in 2018, says she wasn’t […]

Drew WilsonOctober 15, 2018

Amalie Oil Co. exec Harry Barkett and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik will help boost Republican state Sen. Dana Young’s re-election bid with a fundraising reception in Tampa this week. The Tuesday evening event will be held at the home of Barkett and his wife, Carmen, while Vinik’s wife, Penny, is also listed on […]

Tag: Janet Cruz

Susan MacManus: Blue wave, maybe; blue tsunami, nope

Final poll of SD 18 offers hope to both Dana Young and Janet Cruz

Janet Cruz brings in Nydia Velazquez to boost early voting

Janet Cruz lying about Dana Young, new complaint alleges

Tampa Bay candidates enter campaign home stretch

Dana Young trounces Janet Cruz in fundraising

Gabrielle Giffords gun safety group backs Janet Cruz for Senate

Dana Young’s fundraising lead grows to $1.6 million over Janet Cruz

Dana Young bets on personal touch to keep swing seat

Harry Barkett, Jeff Vinik hosting Dana Young fundraiser Tuesday