Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Julie DelegalMarch 16, 2014

The proposed legislative expansion of Florida’s private-school voucher program may jump the blurry line between private money and public money. Instead of diverting only corporate taxes to pay for private-school vouchers, House Speaker Will Weatherford wants to use your sales tax dollars, and mine, to expand the voucher pot by another $30 million. Many Floridians […]

Guest AuthorMarch 11, 2014

Anyone watching the special election in Congressional District 13 would come away with a few takeaways from Republican David Jolly’s win over perennial Democrat loser Alex Sink. Jeb Bush is still really important in Florida. Alex Sink is a horrible candidate with another coulda, woulda, shoulda loss on her resume. Even though Obamacare is super […]

Daniel TilsonMarch 10, 2014

There were some fascinating takeaways from the just-completed 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Rand Paul won the presidential straw poll for the second year in a row, up six points from last year to win going away with 31 percent. His win is no surprise, since the CPAC crowd is thick with younger libertarian-leaning […]

Bob SparksFebruary 25, 2014

Next week the conservative movement receives its annual check-up in National Harbor, Md. The three-day exam known as the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) will feature speeches and panels starring the Who’s Who of political conservatism. If one is considering a run for the White House in 2016, more than likely that potential candidate will […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 17, 2014

Even as a television plot it would be implausible. A white man enraged by loud music coming from their car shoots 10 bullets at four black teenagers, killing one. But the jury is able to find him guilty only of the shots that missed. Once again, Florida is a theater of the absurd. There are […]

Bob SparksFebruary 10, 2014

There can be little argument that immigration reform is sorely needed. Current law, whether or not it’s enforced, is simply inadequate. Last week, Martin Dyckman wrote for Context Florida on this issue from the progressive side. He artfully made the case about real reform trumping ideological purity from both sides. Speaking from the conservative side, […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 29, 2014

Is anyone in Tallahassee smarter than a fifth-grader? Anyone? It sure doesn’t seem so and the Florida Department of Education announcement last week about the Florida version of Common Core doesn’t help. Common Core is unpopular with many conservatives — Gov. Rick Scott’s base — who view it as federal intrusion into the state education […]

Daniel TilsonJanuary 23, 2014

Ready for a Hillary Clinton-Jeb Bush 2016 presidential campaign slugfest? Looks to be about a 60-40 bet these days. For quite a while now Jeb has played it close to the vest if not downright coy about his presidential prospects and plans. But recent events are conspiring to flush him out of the weeds of […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 21, 2014

The GOP is in need of a unifier in a bad way! There seem to be Republicans who believe they have proprietary rights about who is allowed to call themselves a Republican. Let’s get one thing straight — one wing of the party cannot determine who and who is not a Republican any more than […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 16, 2014

I’m going to be upfront with you. In case you have not been religiously reading my columns for the last few years, I’m a stout, fair, common-sense political man. I’m a fiscal conservative, moderate on family values and immigration, and liberal (that dirty word) on some social issues like women’s rights, GLBT equality, etc. So […]

Tag: Jeb Bush

Julie Delegal: Do you want your Florida sales taxes going to religious schools?

Jamie Miller: Jeb Bush came to the rescue in Congressional District 13 race

Daniel Tilson: Takeaways from CPAC 2014

Bob Sparks: CPAC hopes to lead GOP toward tidal wave election

Martin Dyckman: ‘Loud music’ killing is another stain on the ‘Gunshine State’

Bob Sparks: Republicans can help shape immigration reform

Shannon Nickinson: Lurching from one benchmark to another hurts schools

Daniel Tilson: Here comes Clinton vs. Bush, circa 2016

Jamie Miller: Who is going to unify the GOP?

Steve Kurlander: Crossing the bridge to moderation: The GOP, and some dinosaurs, need Christie to survive Bridgegate