Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Anne LindbergOctober 19, 2016

When candidates run for local nonpartisan offices — mayor, council member, or commissioner — they’re supposed to keep party politics out of the conversation. And, for the most part, that’s the way it is. But in some races this year, partisan money is helping finance local candidates. Take the City of Largo, for example, where […]

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 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 […]

Peter SchorschOctober 3, 2016

Hello, October. This is the final full month of the 2016 campaign cycle. In five weeks, we will know so much more about the future of the country, the state and our communities. But, no matter what, life will go on. For those in “The Process” — Florida Politics’ term for the unending legislative campaign/legislative session […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 29, 2016

First of all, congratulations to the uber-hip readers at Creative Loafing who, in their Best of the Bay voting for Best Reporter in 2016, selected a columnist who retired two years ago. Congratulations also to our U.S. Congress who, by voting for a budget bill last to avoid a government shutdown, now gets to skip town for […]

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 […]

Anne LindbergSeptember 26, 2016

Jennifer Webb vows in her first video ad of the campaign season to fight the special interests she says are dominating Tallahassee. “For too long, big special interests have gotten their way in Tallahassee and we’re paying the price,” Webb says in the 30-second spot. Examples flash on the screen: “Duke Energy customers will pay […]

Phil AmmannSeptember 23, 2016

Clearwater’s Chamber of Commerce announced endorsements in several local races, and a virtual tie between two equally qualified candidates for a Pinellas County Commission seat. In a statement Friday, CLEARPAC, the committee for the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber’s board of directors, made recommendations based on “the importance of Election Day to […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 13, 2016

Writing that “Hillsborough County is better than this,” Dana Young is the latest Tampa Bay area lawmaker calling for the Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission to reject proposed new rules that ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft say would force them out of the local market. In a letter Tuesday to PTC Chair Victor Crist, Young says the current […]

Tag: Larry Ahern
Image via AP.

Party, PAC money seeps into nonpartisan municipal races

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

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

Here’s where stuff stands in Tampa Bay politics — the ‘it’s October’ edition

Mitch Perry Report for 9.29.16 — Congress is free to go home. Again.

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

In first video ad, Jennifer Webb slams special interests

Clearwater Chamber announces local endorsements; virtual tie between Charlie Justice, Mike Mikurak

Dana Young urges Hillsborough PTC to reject new rules for Uber, Lyft