Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

James CallMay 6, 2015

Expect Florida lawmakers to spend a long hot summer in Tallahassee. Plus, they will be at the state Capitol for a pretty contentious fall as well. And they just might, with a little luck, be able to fit in a holiday break before returning for the 2016 Legislative Session in January. That’s the consensus of a handful […]

Martin DyckmanApril 30, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott continues to build a record that no successor should be allowed to emulate. None should even want to. But you never know. Twenty-one times now, Scott has rejected lawyers recommended by the Florida Bar for seats on some of Florida’s 26 judicial nominating commissions. The latest such act was on April […]

Guest AuthorApril 14, 2015

Early last year, Jeb Bush had a small gathering at the Biltmore in Coral Gables for a very private, serious chat about running for president in 2016. One of his top advisers, Mike Murphy, was a tad surprised to run into someone he knew as he waited for cab to leave go to the airport. […]

Mitch PerryApril 7, 2015

Although he didn’t call Patrick Murphy his “soulmate” today, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn otherwise gave as full throated endorsement as any politician can when he announced his full-fledged support for South Florida Representative Patrick Murphy in next year’s race for Senate. “I think he is where I am ideologically – which is in the center […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 31, 2015

She fielded questions from the Low Income Pool to statewide Medicaid Managed Care but it was clear from the get go that members of the Senate Health Policy Committee held Elizabeth “Liz” Dudek in high regard and her confirmation to lead the state Agency for Health Care Administration would be approved. Gov. Rick Scott reappointed […]

Guest AuthorMarch 16, 2015

Some governors are slow learners. Gov. Rick Scott is beyond slow. He doesn’t learn. He doesn’t appear to care about public access to records, meetings and information traditionally available to Floridians. Most governors have a bit of trouble getting used to working in the fishbowl of state government, particularly if they won election without stopping […]

Christine Jordan SextonMarch 2, 2015

First District Court of Appeal Judge Nikki Ann Clark is retiring effective June 1. In an interview with Florida Politics, Clark said she has been a judge 22 years and before that worked as an attorney for 17 years. “That’s enough,” said Clark, 63. “It’s time to turn that page and start that new chapter.” […]

Ryan RayFebruary 5, 2015

As Lake Worth Sen. Jeff Clemens taught us once again last week by announcing his bid for Senate Democratic leader in 2018, there’s no such thing as ‘too soon’ in the term-limited game theory of the Florida Legislature. In that spirit, Republican state Sen. Tom Lee has filed to run for his Hillsborough County-based District 24 seat […]

Associated PressJanuary 12, 2015

Jeb Bush called himself a “head-banging conservative” back in 1994 when he ran for governor of Florida on a promise to “club this government into submission.” He lost. Four years later, the Republican returned as a compassionate voice for education reform and society’s have-nots. He won. It’s a lesson that still shapes Bush’s approach to […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 17, 2014

Nearly 70 years ago, when the Florida Democratic Party was a monopoly, the political scientist V. O. Key Jr., saw a problem that haunts it to the present day. In Florida, he wrote, it was “every man for himself.” Individual candidates built their own organizations, which dissolved when they left office or gave up running. […]

Tag: Lawton Chiles
Fans fill the Rose Bowl as Chelsea plays Liverpool FC in an International Champions Cup Soccer match, July 27, 2016, in Pasadena, California. (Image via The Associated Press).

Reporters’ roundtable: Lawmakers back again, and again, to Tallahassee

Martin Dyckman: Gov. Scott's contempt of court must be stopped

Brian Crowley: Should Jeb Bush step aside for Marco Rubio?

Bob Buckhorn embraces Patrick Murphy’s ideology as he gives his endorsement in Tampa

Senate committee OKs Liz Dudek to continue as AHCA Secretary

Lucy Morgan: To Rick Scott, open government is a closed book

1st DCA Judge Nikki Ann Clark announces June 1 retirement

Tom Lee gears up for 2018 re-election campaign

Eyeing 2016, Jeb Bush applies old lesson from Florida run

Martin Dyckman: Fla. Democrats need to find a message with a broad appeal