Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 15, 2016

On Sunday, Patrick Murphy called for Alan Grayson to shut down his hedge funds. On Monday, his press shop sent out an email with prominent Florida Democrats making the same call. “There’s no gray area here: Congressman Grayson was wrong to put his management of this offshore, multimillion dollar hedge fund ahead of his elected duties as […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterFebruary 10, 2016

As the state House began vetting its proposed $79.9 billion budget, some lawmakers questioned the decision to cut more than 700 positions from the Department of Health. Rep. Matt Hudson, chairman of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, said the budget eliminates 718 positions from the Department of Health’s budget. Many of those positions are […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 1, 2016

With the Florida Legislature already powering through a third of their nine-week regular legislative session, board members with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit agency (HART) expressed concerns on Monday regarding their chief legislative budget request for 2016. That would be a regional fare box system and smart card system — which would provide a uniform bus payment […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2016

Among the items Hillsborough County legislators are requesting in the just-unveiled 2016-2017 House budget, none looms larger than the $22.5 million sought for the USF Morsani College of Health Heart Institute. In February 2015, USF’s request to relocate its new Morsani College of Medicine and USF Heart Institute to downtown Tampa was approved, and in […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 26, 2016

We’ve heard a lot about illegal immigration on the campaign trail. Most of the GOP candidates decry it but say they embrace legal immigration. Like the H-1B visa. The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 25, 2016

Tampa state House Democrat Janet Cruz will not run for the newly created state Senate seat in Hillsborough County, POLITICO Florida is reporting. “It would cost $4 million,” Cruz tells POLITICO’s Matt Dixon. “I could win it this year, but it’s a two-year seat I would have to raise $4 million for again and probably not hold.” Cruz has served […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 21, 2016

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House Majority Leader Dana Young has officially entered the race to win the newly created Senate District 18 seat. “This morning, I officially filed to run in the newly created Senate District 18, serving the citizens of Tampa and western Hillsborough County,” the Tampa Republican told FloridaPolitics.com. “While I am excited about this new opportunity to continue to […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 13, 2016

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry has as much local political momentum for his pension tax plan as he could want. Everyone on City Council co-sponsored a resolution of support, which passed Tuesday night. However, Senate co-sponsor Rob Bradley is the first to say that getting it through both chambers in Tallahassee is a “heavy lift.” To that end, […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 8, 2016

Hillsborough County Commissioner Sandy Murman, currently running for re-election to her District 1 seat this fall, acknowledged Friday she’s considering a run at the newly created state Senate District 18 seat. “I am looking at it,” the Davis Island Republican told Florida Politics late Friday afternoon. “I’m very happy on the County Commission. I love […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 7, 2016

James Tracy was fired last month, though the Florida Atlantic University communications professor still can file a grievance to maintain his job. Although he would certainly dispute being labeled a conspiracy theorist, that’s essentially how I learned about him when I wrote a story about conspiracy theories in Creative Loafing. Tracy claimed the Sandy Hook elementary school massacre […]

Tag: Janet Cruz
Aerial photo courtesy Jesse Biter.

Florida Democrats to Alan Grayson: Shut down the hedge funds

House budget: Decision to cut positions at Dep’t of Health questioned

HART members contemplate WWJD – What will Jack Latvala do on fare box plan?

USF Heart Institute is largest request from Hillsborough House members

Mitch Perry Report for 1.26.16 — Not the Happiest Place on Earth?

Janet Cruz won’t run for new Tampa state Senate seat

Dana Young files to run in newly created state Senate seat in Hillsborough County

Lenny Curry again scheduled to hilt in Tallahassee

Sandy Murman thinking of running for state Senate

Mitch Perry Report for 1.7.16 – Florida academic fired for unpopular (and um, questionable) views?