Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2016

Incoming House Minority Leader Janet Cruz has been re-elected to her House District 62 seat in Tampa without any GOP opposition. Cruz has been serving in the Florida House since early 2010, when she survived an intense Democratic primary special election against attorney Pat Kemp. Since that time, she has diligently worked her way up […]

Mitch PerryJune 18, 2016

Although party unity was the theme of the Florida Democratic Party’s annual Leadership Blue Gala, bashing Donald Trump played second fiddle to remembering the tragic murders of 49 Americans in Orlando last weekend, and what might be done about it. Saturday night’s event at the Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood began with a video scroll of the names of […]

Mitch PerryMay 10, 2016

(Updated) St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond announced his candidacy for the House District 68 seat in Pinellas County on Monday, April 25. In the six days leading up to the campaign’s first fundraising deadline on April 30, he was able to raise an impressive $28,366. “I’m running for the Florida House because I want to fight for Pinellas […]

Mitch PerryApril 26, 2016

Although registration for Republicans have surged in a number of states this primary season, the larger trend is that people are becoming more disaffected by our two major political parties, and signing up as independents. And with Democratic superdelegates on one side, and top ranking GOP officials seemingly doing whatever they can to try to […]

Mitch PerryApril 11, 2016

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman has decided to stay put after all, and will not run challenge Dana Young in the newly created state Senate 18 seat. That information was first published by the Tampa Bay Times. Murman, who was in the state Legislature from 1996 to 2004, has been on the Board of County […]

Mitch PerryApril 8, 2016

A mentally ill inmate who was in protective custody was found dead at the Columbia Correctional Institution on Tuesday, a day after a corrections officer was hospitalized in an attack. It’s yet another black mark on Florida’s prison system, one that many say is overcrowded and underfunded. The Department of Corrections, though, insists those issues had nothing […]

Mitch PerryApril 7, 2016

Progress Florida has unveiled their “Champions of Florida’s Middle Class” for 2016,” consisting of 14 House Democrats and four Senate Democrats. There are no Republicans on the list. The progressive activist group is celebrating these Democrats for their stances on fracking bans (HB 191/SB 318), public schools (HB 7029), reproductive health care (HB 1411/SB 1722), guns on campus […]

Phil AmmannMarch 21, 2016

With a tip of the hat to Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. On: District Secretary Erika Flores is the new legislative assistant for Tampa Democratic Rep. Janet Cruz. Off: Carlos Ramos is no longer Cruz’s legislative assistant. On: Christian Schultze is Cruz’s new district secretary. […]

Drew WilsonMarch 11, 2016

The Florida Nurses Association applauded lawmakers Friday for passing a bill allowing advanced registered nurse practitioners and physician assistants to prescribe controlled substances, a measure the group had put before the legislature for 22 years. “It’s been a long battle, and well worth the fight,’’ said FNA Executive Director Willa Fuller in a news release. […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 2, 2016

The Florida House voted 82-37 to approve a bill that allows members of the clergy to refuse to perform gay marriages. The passage came after more than an hour of passionate debate. Opponents questioned why the bill (HB 43) was needed, with some calling it an insult to the state’s gay community. “This bill is […]

Tag: Janet Cruz
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

Janet Cruz re-elected without opposition to her HD 62 seat

Cory Booker keynotes Florida Democratic Party summer gala

HD 68 Dem candidate Ben Diamond raises over $28,000 in one week on the campaign trail

Mitch Perry Report for 4.26.16 – Collusion politics

Sandy Murman opts out of run for Florida Senate

Jeff Brandes say his next focus will be on reforming Florida prison system

Progress Florida names 18 Democrat lawmakers as “Champions of Florida’s Middle Class”

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Florida Nurses Association praises “huge victory” for nurse practitioners, physician assistants

Florida House votes 82-37 to approve “Pastor Protection” Act