Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 12, 2016

After months of contemplation, former St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said Tuesday that he will not run for the Republican nomination for the CD 13 seat being vacated by David Jolly. “After a significant amount of thought, prayer and review, I have decided not to run for Congress this November,” Baker said in a statement. Baker has not been in […]

Mitch PerryApril 12, 2016

Citing questions regarding the accuracy of the recent reduction in the state’s announcement of HIV transmissions, Tampa Bay area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor wants the feds to intervene. In a letter to Health & Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Castor says that there are questions regarding the Florida Department of Health’s significant downward revision to its reported HIV cases for 2014. […]

Mitch PerryApril 5, 2016

Planned Parenthood has never been under fire (sometimes literally) as they have been in the past year. The reproductive rights organization has had to contend with a series of blows that began last summer with a series of secretly recorded videos purporting to show its officials trying to profit illegally from selling fetal tissues. “As […]

Mitch PerryMarch 30, 2016

Back in 2009-2010, the folks behind the Moving Hillsborough Forward brought Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory to Tampa on three different occasions to advise local officials on how to pass the one-cent sales tax referendum for transit on the November 2010 ballot in Hillsborough County. As we all remember, the measure went down to a resounding […]

Mitch PerryMarch 29, 2016

Tampa-St. Petersburg Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor and three other Democratic activists stood in front of the steps of the U.S. Federal Courthouse on Tuesday with a simple message for Marco Rubio and the rest of the Republican Senate regarding Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. “We are here to ask Senator Marco Rubio to please do […]

Mitch PerryMarch 22, 2016

To anyone paying attention, it’s apparent that it would take some seismic shift for either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump to not end up being their party’s standard-bearer this November. The Trump battle with the GOP establishment will continue to play out with maximum media attention, but until he starts losing more states (which could […]

Mitch PerryMarch 21, 2016

President Obama spent his first full day in Cuba on Monday, where he met earlier in the day with Cuban President Raul Castro. After their historic meeting, Castro said his country remained committed to normalizing relations but reiterated that it could only happen if Congress ends a decades-old economic blockade. The blockade, Castro said, is “the most […]

Mitch PerryMarch 15, 2016

Tampa/St. Petersburg Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced on Monday that she has been asked by President Obama to join him and the First Lady on his historic trip to Cuba, which begins on Sunday. “This monumental and historic step is needed to help turn the page on a failed policy of isolation and move forward with greater engagement […]

Mitch PerryMarch 9, 2016

Despite the wooing of state Democrats, St. Petersburg City Council member Darden Rice says she will not leave her seat to challenge Republican Jeff Brandes in the state Senate District 24 race this fall. “I really like what I’m doing right now, and I really don’t have any interest in the job,” Rice said on Tuesday. After […]

Mitch PerryMarch 8, 2016

To the surprise of virtually anybody, Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that he will not run for president as an independent this year. Writing on um, Bloomberg View, the former New York City Mayor announced that after serious contemplation, he will not run this year, despite the concerns he has about the campaigns from both the […]

Tag: Kathy Castor
One of several proposed designs for Florida's new Margaritaville license plates. Image via the office of Rep. Linda Chaney.

Rick Baker decides not to run for Florida’s 13th Congressional District

Kathy Castor questions if Florida officials “manipulated” data regarding reduction of HIV infections

Planned Parenthood official tells crowd it’s guilty only of helping women

Mitch Perry Report for 3.30.16 – What happened to the moderate, affable Pat McCrory?

Kathy Castor, other Democratic activists call on GOP Senate to give Merrick Garland a vote

Mitch Perry Report for 3.22.16 — Time for Sanders to put up some results

Kathy Castor says that business community is key to inspiring Republicans to end the embargo against Cuba

Kathy Castor joining President Obama in trip to Cuba next week

Darden Rice will not challenge Jeff Brandes in SD 24

Mitch Perry Report for 3.8.16 – Bloomy, we hardly knew ye