Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryDecember 1, 2017

More than 6,300 registered voters in Florida House District 58 special election have already cast a ballot through the mail ahead of the Dec. 19 special election. Republican Lawrence McClure, Democrat Jose Vazquez, Libertarian Bryan Zemina and non-party-affiliated Ahmad Saadaldin are the choices for the voters in the district, which encompasses Plant City, Temple Terrace, Dover, Mango, […]

Mitch PerryNovember 27, 2017

The four men running in the special election in House District 58 next month will meet up in a candidates’ forum Monday, Dec. 4, in Temple Terrace. Republican Lawrence McClure, Democrat Jose Vazquez, Libertarian Bryan Zemina and non-party-affiliated Ahmad Saadaldin are running in the election Dec. 19 to select a successor to Republican Dan Raulerson, […]

Mitch PerryNovember 21, 2017

Over the years, Democrat Jose Vazquez ran (and lost) several local elections, mostly without any organized support from the Hillsborough County Party. But that is starting to change, as the Party is more energized than ever after Donald Trump‘s stunning election a year ago, Local Democrats are now hoping to replicate the success they found in the […]

Peter SchorschNovember 20, 2017

Republican Josie Tomkow is holding a fundraiser Nov. 30 for her campaign to take over for exiting Rep. Neil Combee in House District 39. The event is set to run from 6 PM to 9 PM at Sunny Acres Lodge in Polk City, 7290 Hacienda Trail, and the host committee features quite a long list […]

Drew WilsonNovember 15, 2017

About 19,000 mail ballots have been sent out for the special general election to replace former Rep. Dan Raulerson in Hillsborough County-based HD 58. Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections Craig Latimer announced the mailing in a Wednesday press release, adding that voters have until Dec. 13 to request a mail ballot. Voters expecting to receive […]

Mitch PerryNovember 10, 2017

For many reasons, conventional wisdom is that—in effect—Republican Lawrence McClure has won the House District 58 special election. But there are four candidates on the Dec. 19 ballot, not just two. And they all appeared at a candidates’ forum Thursday night at the Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City. The eastern Hillsborough County seat is considered prime […]

Mitch PerryNovember 2, 2017

At last month’s election watch party for Temple Terrace Mayor Mel Jurado, Libertarian Bryan Zemina got an earful from several Yvonne Fry supporters. They were not only disheartened that their candidate was about to lose the House District 58 Republican primary to Lawrence McClure, but also by the way she lost. Fry was attacked in third-party […]

Joe HendersonOctober 11, 2017

Negative campaigning has long been an accepted tactic. As much as people say they hate it, they seem to respond to that message. We saw the truth of that again in Tuesday’s special election for the GOP nomination in House District 58. Mailers that labeled Plant City businesswoman and civic activist Yvonne Fry as a tax-loving liberal […]

Staff ReportsOctober 11, 2017

Lawrence McClure has defeated Yvonne Fry in the hard-fought Republican primary for Florida House District 58. McClure, a 30-year-old Dover businessman, received 54.90 percent of the vote; Fry, a Plant City business executive, took 45.10 percent. The two Hillsborough County natives ran an increasingly contentious campaign for the GOP nomination to fill the seat of […]

Mitch PerryOctober 10, 2017

In eastern Hillsborough County, one of the more contentious Republican primaries in quite some time will soon be over. Tuesday night, a winner will emerge from the hard-fought House District 58 battle between Yvonne Fry and Lawrence McClure. HD 58 opened up in August after Plant City Republican Dan Raulerson stepped down for health reasons. Final financial […]

Tag: Lawrence McClure
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Over 6,300 people already voted in HD 58 special election

HD 58 debate scheduled Dec. 4 in Temple Terrace

Hillsborough Democrats rally behind Jose Vazquez in HD 58 special election

HD 39 candidate Josie Tomkow to hold fundraiser Nov. 30

Mail ballots go out for HD 58 special election

Third-party candidates liven up the race in HD 58

Libertarian HD 58 hopeful Bryan Zemina says Republicans should give him a look

Joe Henderson: Negative campaigning works again

Lawrence McClure defeats Yvonne Fry in HD 58 GOP primary

Decision time in contentious House District 58 GOP primary