Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaJanuary 18, 2017

The Florida Supreme Court’s decision not to take up a contentious school vouchers lawsuit continued to garner reaction throughout Wednesday. Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump‘s nominee for U.S. Education Secretary, tweeted, “Congrats to the Florida families who have a clear path toward more opportunity due to #SchoolChoice w/ today’s FL Supreme Court decision!” Florida House […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 10, 2017

Coconut Grove real estate developer and major political donor Stephen Bittel rolled out a list of new endorsements of bid for Florida Democratic Party chair on Monday, including South Florida congressional members Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel, and Alcee Hastings . Also backing Bittel is Janet Cruz, the House Minority Leader from Tampa, which also is the (once and former) home of Alan Clendenin, who […]

Jim RosicaDecember 15, 2016

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As promised, House Democratic Leader Janet Cruz of Tampa filed legislation Thursday that would let voters fix mismatching signatures on their vote-by-mail ballots so they can be counted. The bill (HB 105) would require supervisors of elections and their staff “to allow submission of an affidavit to cure signature discrepancies.” The measure was in response […]

Jim RosicaDecember 12, 2016

The state House of Representatives Monday released its full 2016-18 committee and subcommittee assignments and chairs. “I am proud of the way the new process was handled by all involved – applicants and chairs alike,” Speaker Richard Corcoran said in a statement. “All who participated have my respect and will be called upon to use […]

Mitch PerryDecember 1, 2016

With Tallahassee a four-hour drive away, the annual meeting of the Hillsborough County Legislative Delegation to be held in two weeks in Tampa could very possibly be the only time local residents can address their state representative(s). That meeting will take place on Friday, December 16 at the Tampa Bay History Center, 801 Old Water […]

Mitch PerryNovember 29, 2016

The first regularly scheduled flight in more than 50 years flew from Miami to Havana yesterday morning, just in time to begin the formal mourning for Fidel Castro, which leads to the question du jour — What will Donald Trump do with the Cuba-U.S. relations? The President-elect tweeted that “If Cuba is unwilling to make a better deal for the Cuban people, the Cuban/American […]

Mitch PerryNovember 28, 2016

Democratic Leader Janet Cruz is generally supportive of the ambitious new rules proposed by House Speaker Richard Corcoran that were unanimously approved by the entire Florida House last week. The changes are largely aimed at creating additional budget transparency and reducing the influence that lobbyists have on the political process in Tallahassee. But she and other Democrats did draw the line […]

Mitch PerryNovember 22, 2016

Following the new rules adopted by the Florida House of Representatives to make state government more transparent and accountable, introduced by newly elected House Speaker Richard Corcoran, the libertarian-oriented Americans for Prosperity-Florida expressed its support on Tuesday. “We are especially eager to see Speaker Corcoran’s new House rules in action,” said state director Chris Hudson. “These […]

Michael MolineNovember 22, 2016

Richard Corcoran assumed the speakership of the Florida House during its organizational session Tuesday, promising a new era of good government enforced by unprecedentedly stringent ethics rules and controls on lobbyists. “Good government isn’t a process; it’s a struggle for its leaders to do the right thing,” Corcoran said. “We have to put aside the rhetorical devices […]

Mitch PerryNovember 11, 2016

Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner has ordered a machine recount between Democrat Robert Asencio and Republican David Rivera for Miami-Dade County’s House District 118 seat. The ballot counting ending Tuesday had Asencio leading Rivera by 68 votes — 31,395 to 31,327. That’s a difference of just one-tenth of one percent. Because Florida law requires automatic recounts when results are within […]

Tag: Janet Cruz
gun silencer. Image via AP.

Officials, others respond to school vouchers case

Janet Cruz among those backing Stephen Bittel’s bid for Florida Democratic Party leadership post

Janet Cruz files fix for vote-by-mail signature problem

Florida House announces more leadership roles

Hillsborough legislative delegation to meet December 16

Mitch Perry Report for 11.29.16 — Will President Trump ‘terminate’ Obama deal with Cuba?

Janet Cruz OK with new House rules, but shot down one proposal

Americans for Prosperity gives thumbs up to new House rules

Richard Corcoran installed as House speaker promising ‘struggle’ to do right

Recount to take place in Florida HD 118 district race