Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Bob SparksNovember 9, 2017

What a year we’re having in Florida’s capital city. Just not in a good way. In April, we had the sad spectacle of Miami Republican Sen. Frank Artiles resigning from the Senate after uttering racial slurs in the direction of Jacksonville Democrat Audrey Gibson. Less than two weeks ago, incoming Senate Democratic Leader Jeff Clemens […]

Staff ReportsNovember 7, 2017

A special primary election to replace former Sen. Jeff Clemens will be held Jan. 30, with a special general election April 10, meaning Senate District 31 will have no representation during the 2018 Legislative Session. Gov. Rick Scott signed an executive order, announced Monday night, calling for the special elections. The 2018 Session is slated […]

A.G. GancarskiNovember 7, 2017

On Monday evening, state Sen. Audrey Gibson won a narrow 8-7 vote of Senate Democrats to become Senate Democratic Leader Designate for the 2018-2020 legislative term. Gibson will succeed current Senate Democratic Leader Oscar Braynon II when his term ends next November. The split was described by one observers as moderates versus progressives, a dynamic which […]

Mitch PerryNovember 6, 2017

Janet Cruz has no idea whether sensational sexual harassment charges leveled over the weekend against state Sen. Jack Latvala are true. But the House Democratic Leader from Tampa says some of the passages she read in the POLITICO Florida story made her skin crawl. “I was heartbroken when that girl just sat there and cried and then when (former […]

Peter SchorschNovember 1, 2017

Democratic state Rep. Daisy Baez resigned her House seat Wednesday, and is expected to plead guilty to perjury charges in a criminal case over her residency in Coral Gables-based House District 114. Baez’s plea agreement for a misdemeanor perjury charge includes her leaving office and paying a $1,000 fine. She will also take an ethics course […]

Drew WilsonOctober 31, 2017

Lantana Democratic Rep. Lori Berman announced Tuesday she will run for the special election in Senate District 31, which opened up Friday following the unexpected and immediate resignation of Jeff Clemens. “We’re in the midst of a watershed moment in the struggle for women’s rights across this country and one of the key motivators in […]

Peter SchorschOctober 30, 2017

Two female state senators Monday issued a powerful joint statement on sexual misconduct in the Capitol, the same day Senate President Joe Negron agreed to reconsider his new hard-line harassment reporting policy. Sens. Lizbeth Benacquisto, a Fort Myers Republican and Rules Committee chair, and Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat and chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Environment and […]

Peter SchorschOctober 27, 2017

Lake Worth Democrat Jeff Clemens resigned from the Florida Senate on Friday, effective immediately. “I have made mistakes I ashamed of, and for the past six months I have been focused on becoming a better person,” he said in a statement sent to news media. “But it is clear to me that task is impossible […]

Peter SchorschOctober 27, 2017

Two weeks ago, I wrote that Tallahassee has a Harvey Weinstein problem. Obviously, I did not know then what I think I know now about Senator Jeff Clemens. Frankly, had I, I would not have been that circumspect. That was then. This is now. We know what we know today thanks to the dogged reporting […]

Scott PowersOctober 27, 2017

Incoming Senate Democratic leader Jeff Clemens is not going to be at the Florida Democratic Party’s convention in Orlando this weekend. Clemens, dealing with the breaking news that he engaged in an extramarital affair with lobbyist Devon West, is spending time with family instead of with the party, spokesman Christian Ulvert said Friday. The news broke […]

Tag: Jeff Clemens

Supreme Court brings new meaning to ‘oral arguments’

Special election ordered to replace Jeff Clemens

Audrey Gibson wins close vote to lead Senate Democrats

Janet Cruz ‘horrified’ reading allegations of sexual harassment in capital

Daisy Baez resigns over residency case, but GOP supermajority not assured

Lori Berman to run in SD 31 special election

Lizbeth Benacquisto, Lauren Book issue statement on sexual misconduct

Jeff Clemens resigns from Florida Senate amid sex scandal

Jeff Clemens should step down

Jeff Clemens not attending Democrats’ convention