Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 22, 2015

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Making the Tampa Bay region look like a game of Twister, Senate Rules Chairman David Simmons late Thursday filed his own proposed map redrawing the state’s Senate districts. For instance, Simmons’ map creates a 16th District that takes in about the same area currently represented by GOP Sen. Jack Latvala of Clearwater, not by jumping the bay, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 21, 2015

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State Sen. Bill Galvano has filed a proposed new Senate district map for his Reapportionment Committee, meaning there will be one “base map” going forward to discuss and amend. Galvano posted the map to the Senate’s redistricting website at about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Among other things, it contains a district that crosses Tampa Bay – the 19th, […]

Jim RosicaOctober 14, 2015

The Florida Legislature on Wednesday released six proposed new maps for state Senate districts before the start of a three-week Special Session on redistricting. All of the staff-drawn maps, however, contain districts that cross Tampa Bay. That runs afoul of direction the Florida Supreme Court gave in a similar case involving congressional districts to “avoid crossing Tampa Bay.” […]

Phil AmmannAugust 18, 2015

Telecommunications giant AT&T named expert political consultant Ian Cotner as new Regional Director of External Affairs. Cotner, with over a decade of experience in the Florida Capitol, will oversee legislative and community affairs projects in the Treasure Coast, Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Glades Counties. He will work with community leaders, legislators and business leaders on […]

Mitch PerryJuly 14, 2015

Associated Industries of Florida, considered a powerhouse lobbyist group for the business establishment in Tallahassee, has produced their annual scorecard on how often state lawmakers have maintained the AFI line, and the discrepancy isn’t that large between Democrats and Republicans in the state Senate, at least. AIF’s 2015 Voting Records contains each of the state’s 120 legislators voting […]

Phil AmmannMay 20, 2015

Former Port Richey City Attorney James Mathieu has resigned as chair of the Republican Party of Pasco. In a brief email to supporters, Mathieu said the move was for personal reasons. “Thank all of you for this opportunity to serve,” he wrote. “Keep the faith and Republicans will prevail in 2016. Thank you all.” Mathieu, […]

Phil AmmannMay 12, 2015

Voting in Florida state races is now just under 18 months away, with a June special session and the 2016 Regular Session thrown in for good measure. Nevertheless, political campaigns statewide are starting to gear up, as the campaign cash begins to flow in earnest. Here’s where things stand through April 30 in fundraising races […]

Gary FineoutMay 3, 2015

During the recently-concluded legislative session, Senate President Andy Gardiner constantly warned about the threat to the state’s hospitals if they were to lose more than $1 billion that now comes from the federal government. There’s a good reason Gardiner understands hospitals: he works for one. Gardiner’s employment is legal, but it highlights a common practice […]

Bruce RitchieApril 23, 2015

A Senate bill amendment to bar legislators from being on the Public Service Commission within two years of leaving office was withdrawn Thursday. Sen. John Legg, a Republican from Lutz, had filed the amendment to SB 288, a PSC bill that was brought up on second reading Thursday. The amendment was withdrawn because of a […]

Bruce RitchieApril 22, 2015

Sen. John Legg says he considers former Rep. Jimmy Patronis to be a friend and a fine man, but he doesn’t think he should have gone so quickly from the Legislature to the Public Service Commission. So Legg has filed a bill amendment he said is aimed at preventing that from happening in the future. Patronis, […]

Tag: John Legg
Maxwell Frost calls for a shutdown of the Baker County Detention Center.

David Simmons files map for Senate redistricting

Bill Galvano files proposed Senate redistricting map

New maps for state Senate include districts crossing Tampa Bay

Personnel note: AT&T names Ian Cotner as Regional Director of External Affairs

Florida Democratic state Senators score high in AIF’s 2015 voting scorecard

Republican Party of Pasco chair James Mathieu resigns

Where fundraising races stand in Tampa Bay area 2016 contests

Florida legislators push bills tied to their private jobs

PSC/Duke Energy bill teed up for Senate vote after amendment withdrawn

Amendment filed to stop Legislature-to-PSC pipeline