Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryOctober 30, 2017

The St. Petersburg municipal elections are officially nonpartisan in law — but certainly not in spirit when it comes to the mayoral and District 6 City Council races this year. That’s not a real issue in the District 2 race, where both Barclay Harless and Brandi Gabbard are Democrats battling each other to represent the Gateway/Gandy […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 25, 2017

It was supposed to be a simple community meeting. However, Charlie Crist wound up addressing a controversial personnel decision inside his office, which added a bit of drama to the proceedings. Appearing at a community forum in St. Petersburg’s Midtown area Saturday morning, Crist’s visit was advertised as a discussion about the Affordable Care Act, […]

Anne LindbergDecember 6, 2016

Pinellas residents can expect to hear a lot next year about the number of roads, fire stations, parks, buildings and other projects the county and cities have constructed during the past 30 years. Residents will also hear a lot about construction planned for Pinellas’ future. It’s all part of an education campaign that the county […]

Anne LindbergNovember 2, 2016

Civil rights icon John Lewis, now a congressman from Georgia, came to St. Petersburg on Wednesday to support former Gov. Charlie Crist. Crist, a Democrat, is running against Republican incumbent David Jolly for Florida’s 13th Congressional District. Lewis, who has represented Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District since 1986, said he had followed Crist’s career. “I’m delighted […]

Mitch PerryMay 10, 2016

(Updated) St. Petersburg-based attorney Ben Diamond announced his candidacy for the House District 68 seat in Pinellas County on Monday, April 25. In the six days leading up to the campaign’s first fundraising deadline on April 30, he was able to raise an impressive $28,366. “I’m running for the Florida House because I want to fight for Pinellas […]

Anne LindbergApril 30, 2016

Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch took a field trip Friday to the cemetery pond where three teenage girls drowned in a stolen car. The drowning happened about 3:50 a.m. March 31. The girls, who were being followed by Pinellas sheriff’s deputies, turned into Royal Palm North Cemetery, 2600 Gandy Blvd. and drove into a pond. […]

Mitch PerryApril 25, 2016

St. Petersburg based attorney Ben Diamond will run as a Democrat for the now open House District 68 seat later this year. In what appears to be a coordinated effort, Diamond made his announcement just hours after incumbent Dwight Dudley announced publicly that he would not run for the seat he has held since 2012. “I have long been […]

Mitch PerryMarch 30, 2016

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With great fanfare last week, Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia proudly boasted that seven counties have switched from majority Democratic to majority Republican in 2016. “I have always maintained that a strong Republican party with a strong grassroots infrastructure is the key to winning elections,” Ingoglia said in a prepared statement. “We remain […]

Mitch PerryNovember 5, 2015

I received a text message Wednesday night saying that the Tampa Bay Sierra Club had embraced Hillsborough County Commission Chairwoman Sandy Murman‘s late-hour plan to fund transportation projects, which sounds like a larger-size version of what the club sought this past summer. You remember, it asked the county to began raising mobility fees and the […]

Mitch PerryNovember 4, 2015

Considering he was at Charlie Crist‘s pitch two weeks ago to run for Congress, it was no surprise Wednesday when the Crist campaign said it now has Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch‘s backing. “Charlie Crist has been standing up for our values his whole life, even when it wasn’t easy,” Welch says in a prepared […]

Tag: Ken Welch

Darden Rice, Ken Welch give to both sides in St. Pete District 2 race

At neighborhood meeting, Charlie Crist dismisses question about personnel shake-up

Pinellas County launching educational campaign to renew Penny for Pinellas

Congressman, civil rights icon John Lewis: Vote, vote, vote

HD 68 Dem candidate Ben Diamond raises over $28,000 in one week on the campaign trail

Ken Welch: Sheriff not at fault for drowning deaths of 3 teen girls

Ben Diamond to run for Dwight Dudley’s seat in Florida House

Pinellas County Democratic chairwoman thinks D’s can pick up legislative seats this year

Mitch Perry Report for 11.5.15 – A Hillsborough transportation plan without a sales tax?

Ken Welch latest Democrat to embrace Charlie Crist’s congressional candidacy