Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 16, 2017

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Kathy Castor is not interested in running for Tampa mayor in 2019. Elected in November to a sixth term in Congress representing Hillsborough County, the idea that Castor was contemplating leaving Washington to succeed Bob Buckhorn was floated by Patrick Manteiga in his La Gaceta column late last month. On Tuesday, Castor dismissed such speculation. “You know, I love […]

Mitch PerryDecember 8, 2016

For the #NeverTrumper Republicans out there, this Trump presidency might work out pretty well, after all. Jeb Bush was seen doing cartwheels after Trump selected Betty DeVos to become his Secretary of Education. “I’m so excited,” Bush said last week at the National Summit on Education Reform, sponsored by the Foundation for Excellence in Education, which Bush founded and chairs and […]

Mitch PerryDecember 7, 2016

Hillsborough County Commissioners approved a motion on Wednesday directing their attorney to research and provide draft language on a proposal that would ban them from receiving text messages from a lobbyist during a board meeting. However, the proposal’s ultimate passage is unclear, based on comments from some members. “In the event that we did receive a text […]

Joe HendersonNovember 25, 2016

Pat Kemp officially joined the Hillsborough County Commission when she was sworn into office Wednesday. If she stays true to her nature – and there is no to believe she won’t – Kemp might just turn the Commission on its ear. I hope she does. Most politicians like to play it safe and tell voters […]

Mitch PerryJuly 22, 2016

(UPDATE: Hillary Clinton chose Tim Kaine to be her VP nominee. That occurred shortly after this post was originally written). Hillary Clinton did not name her running mate at a rally in Tampa on Friday afternoon. Although that nonevent was probably the most newsworthy part of her campaign appearance late Friday afternoon at the Florida State Fairgrounds, […]

Mitch PerryJuly 9, 2016

When he announced his candidacy for Senate District 19 last month, St. Petersburg based attorney Augie Ribiero said he was convinced he should enter the contest after he came away uninspired by hearing fellow Democrats Ed Narain, Darryl Rouson and Betty Reed speak at a candidates forum in south St. Pete. He doubled down on those comments in the past week in an […]

Mitch PerryJuly 1, 2016

America celebrates its 240th birthday Monday, and the 40th anniversary of the Bicentennial. I was a relatively young kid who doesn’t have a whole lot of recollection of that particular day (other than our family was on vacation someplace in Northern California), but I certainly do remember the yearlong hype into that summer. Two days […]

Mitch PerryJune 30, 2016

Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller and his wife, former Tampa City Councilwoman Gwen Miller, are backing Democrat Rena Frazier in the House District 59 race. Frazier, a Brandon-based attorney, is running in a competitive Democratic primary against Brandon-based schoolteacher Naze Sahebzamani Aug. 30. Frazier has raised more than three times as much campaign cash as Sahebzamani has in the campaign. At […]

Joe HendersonJune 29, 2016

Elections are supposed to be about choices, but after candidate qualifying ended in Florida last week, many elections are already decided. Voters in 11 districts won’t get to choose their state senator because the incumbent faces no opposition — seven Republicans and four Democrats, if you’re keeping score. And in Senate District 24, Pinellas County […]

Mitch PerryJune 22, 2016

Our latest form of participatory democracy takes place in Tampa tonight, where scores of people will comment on whether or not the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization should include the Tampa Bay Express project in what is known as their Transportation Improvement Plan. If past is prologue, the majority of speakers will be against the project, and the MPO […]

Kathy Castor dismisses talk of her running for Tampa mayor

Mitch Perry Report for 12.8.16 – Al Gore gets punk’d

Hillsborough Commission to copy Richard Corcoran’s proposal to ban texting by lobbyists?

Joe Henderson: Look for Pat Kemp to turn Hillsborough Commission on its ear

Hillary Clinton ridicules Donald Trump’s “dark and divisive division” in Tampa speech

Ed Narain blasts Augie Ribeiro in SD 19 candidates forum

Mitch Perry Report for 7.1.16 — The wheels of justice move excruciatingly slow

Rena Frazier gets the backing of Les and Gwen Miller in her HD 59 contest

Joe Henderson: Unopposed candidates create ‘great void’ in local politics

Mitch Perry Report for 6.22.16 — TBX showdown tonight