Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschOctober 25, 2016

With two weeks to go until Election Day, the Tampa Bay area’s Senate seats are pretty much decided. Welcome back Sens. Jack Latvala and Tom Lee and say hello to Darryl Rouson, who should cruise past John “Mr. Manners” Houman to win the SD 19 seat. Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young still has a race […]

Peter SchorschOctober 14, 2016

Let’s put aside for a moment the argument about whether newspaper endorsements matter much in modern campaigns. Even if not a single likely voter was swayed by the opinions of editorial boards, the endorsements still matter because they matter to the candidates themselves. That’s why you see even the most Republican of candidates — with their […]

Anne LindbergOctober 14, 2016

Kathleen Peters has released a second video ad in the campaign to retain her State House District 69 seat. The ad is called “Water is our life” and it bashes St. Pete and other municipalities for recent sewage dumps into Tampa Bay. “Water is our life,” Peters says on her social media post introducing the video. “I […]

Phil AmmannOctober 11, 2016

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements — both on and off — of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Mary Kassabaum is no longer legislative assistant for Trilby Republican state Sen. Wilton Simpson. Off: Caroline Crow is no longer district secretary for Rockledge Republican state Sen. Thad Altman. On: Matthew Hunter is returning as legislative assistant for Fort […]

Peter SchorschOctober 11, 2016

‘Tis the season. It’s that most wonderful time of the year when candidates running in this fall’s elections make the rounds at candidate forums, hob nobs, and Tiger Bay debates. It’s at these events that candidates distinguish themselves from their opponents with a quick retort — or a regrettable gaffe. Tuesday, the St. Petersburg Chamber […]

Anne LindbergOctober 7, 2016

Most Pinellas candidates running in the six races for a place in the Florida House of Representatives sharply disagreed with their opponents when the topic of guns on college campuses came up during a Wednesday forum on the Seminole campus of St. Petersburg College. The House District 68 race was the only exception. In that […]

Anne LindbergOctober 5, 2016

The Sierra Club and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund have accused state Rep. Kathleen Peters of hypocrisy in her recent call for public notice of contamination. Peters’ proposed legislation, they say, is just a Band-Aid for a deeper problem and does nothing to hold polluters accountable. In addition, the two groups say Peters has […]

Anne LindbergSeptember 30, 2016

A one-issue forum about mental health and substance abuse Thursday evoked some of the most private information from candidates seeking election to the Florida House of Representatives. Jennifer Webb talked about arriving at an intervention for her “baby sister” too late to do anything other than watch her shoot herself. It was through that experience, Webb […]

Anne LindbergSeptember 28, 2016

The Florida Farm Bureau-Pinellas has endorsed four Republicans running for re-election to the state House of Representatives. Reps. Chris Latvala, House District 67, and Larry Ahern, HD 66, received contribution checks from Farm Bureau-Pinellas board members Leslie Waters and Fred Petty during the group’s annual dinner earlier this month. Waters is mayor of Seminole and […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 28, 2016

Although the state and local Democratic parties aren’t putting too much effort into it, Largo schoolteacher Loretta Grizzle does truly believe she has a shot at knocking off Seminole Republican incumbent Larry Ahern in the Florida House District 66 race this November. The district encompasses parts of Largo, Clearwater, Seminole, and the north Gulf Beaches and her campaign says […]

Tag: Kathleen Peters
Image via AP.

Here’s where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay’s legislative races

11 things I think I think about the Tampa Bay Times’ endorsements in state House races

‘Water is our life,’ Kathleen Peters says in second video ad

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

6 reasons I’m looking forward to Tuesday’s ‘Popcorn & Politics’ event

Carrying guns on college campuses? Pinellas House candidates split on the issue

Sierra Club, gay and lesbian group call out Kathleen Peters on environmental transparency

Pinellas candidates for state House get personal at forum

Florida Farm Bureau-Pinellas endorses four Republicans for state House

HD 66 candidates Larry Ahern and Lorena Grizzle battle it out at Suncoast Tiger Bay