Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 21, 2015

I was going to opine on John Kasich entering the GOP presidential contest this morning, but let’s get to that Wednesday. Instead, let’s talk about Florida’s U.S. Senate race, now that David Jolly is officially is in the race, along with Congressman Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera and retired CIA contractor Todd Wilcox. Lately […]

Mitch PerryJuly 20, 2015

For the first time since severing ties in 1961, the U.S. and Cuba reopened embassies in each other’s capitals Monday. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla traveled to the Cuban Embassy in Washington to raise his country’s flag, an event that was broadcast live on the island’s state-run TV. Tampa Bay area Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor has […]

Mitch PerryJuly 20, 2015

With David Jolly expected to announce his U.S. Senate candidacy this week, his GOP opponents: Ron DeSantis, Carlos Lopez-Cantera and Todd Wilcox (so far) will certainly be scrutinizing the Pinellas County Representative’s voting record in Congress, especially since he could be the man to beat in the open field, if you believe one early poll published last […]

Mitch PerryJuly 17, 2015

In Oklahoma this week, President Barack Obama announced a new joint effort with local communities, the federal government and the private sector to expand high-speed broadband to over 275,000 low-income households around the nation — with Tampa being one of the 27 cities and on tribal nation participating. The program is called ConnectHome, an extension of Obama’s ConnectEd program, […]

Mitch PerryJuly 10, 2015

It was just an average Thursday in the Florida political world. But first a note about Jeb Bush, who announced that through his own campaign and his Super PAC Right to Rise, he’s raised $114 million this year, with all but $11 million coming from Right to Rise, which began fundraising for the “non-candidate” in […]

Mitch PerryJuly 10, 2015

One thing was crystal clear for Florida Democratic Party Chair Allison Tant on Thursday as the FDP studied the Florida Supreme Court decision and its affect on the state’s congressional districts. “Florida’s highest court has found Tallahassee Republicans guilty of unconstitutionally subverting Florida’s democracy,” she said. While that’s accurate, the relevant question for her and […]

Phil AmmannJuly 9, 2015

Florida’s Supreme Court threw out the state’s congressional map on Thursday with a ruling that found lawmakers illegally gerrymandered political districts. Justices then ordered the Republican-led Legislature to redraw eight congressional districts, with two that expect to be heavily contested in 2016. Incumbents directly affected by the ruling are Democratic Reps. Corrine Brown, Kathy Castor, […]

Mitch PerryJuly 9, 2015

Although Kathy Castor will see the contours of her district redrawn in the wake of the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling Thursday, no one in state politics suspects it will affect Democratic Party leanings substantially. “Florida voters adopted Fair Districts amendments to our Florida Constitution and, today, the Florida Supreme Court reaffirmed that districts need to […]

Phil AmmannJuly 9, 2015

Say what you will about U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, he strikes while the iron is hot. With breakneck speed, the Boca Raton Democrat representing Florida’s 21st Congressional District sent the first fundraising email in the wake of Florida’s Supreme Court throwing out parts of the state’s congressional map. The state’s highest court found that lawmakers violated Florida’s Fair Districts […]

Mitch PerryJuly 9, 2015

The already intriguing congressional race in Florida’s 13th District currently occupied by Republican David Jolly became even more so on Thursday, after the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature must redraw the district for being out of compliance with the Fair Districts constitutional amendments. The Court ruled that eight districts in all must be redistricted, including […]

Tag: Kathy Castor
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing;s Javier Bermudez and Chad Fraser bring water to Helene victims in Bradenton. Image via Gold Coast.

Mitch Perry Report for 7.21.15 — Bill McCollum isn’t seriously thinking of running for Senate. Is he?

Kathy Castor says economic sanctions on Cuba must go

A look at David Jolly’s Congressional record

Tampa to be part of public-private effort to close digital divide

Mitch Perry Report for 7.10.15 — A whole lotta political stuff

Democrats have new opportunities with redistricting ruling

Florida politicians react to Thursday’s redistricting ruling

Kathy Castor sanguine after court ruling, to report raising nearly $800,000

Email insights: Ted Deutch’s lightning-fast redistricting emergency pitch

Florida Supreme Court ruling will affect David Jolly’s CD 13 seat