Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonSeptember 12, 2018

Bill Carlson posted another five-figure finance report for August, putting him far in the lead in the three-way race to succeed exiting City Councilman Harry Cohen, who is running in the crowded race for Tampa Mayor. Carlson started his campaign for the District 4 seat with a bang in June, bringing in more than $31,000 […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2018

Updated In 2016, Luis Viera defeated Jim Davison by just 65 votes to win Tampa City Council District 7. Could there be a rematch in 2019? “I haven’t decided,” Davison said Friday morning, the day after Viera officially filed for re-election. In fall 2016, the two men engaged in an intense battle for the North […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 1, 2018

On Thursday, Tampa City Councilmembers kept hope alive for transit activists who want Bayshore Blvd. shut down occasionally on Sundays for bicyclists, walker, runners, rollerbladers and others to use without fear of getting hit by a vehicle. Members of “Walk Bike Tampa” appeared before the Council to advocate for a plan to redirect vehicular traffic […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2017

Donald Trump’s executive order suspending the entry of all refugees into the United States for 120 days inspired a crowd of several hundred (maybe a thousand?) to gather in Centennial Park in Tampa’s Ybor City on Sunday afternoon. The people were united in sharing their extreme disapproval of Trump’s decision, creating the second day of national protests against […]

Mitch PerryDecember 12, 2016

Bob Dylan opted to blow off the Nobel Prize for Literature awards ceremony in Sweden this weekend, instead opting to have Azita Raji, the U.S. Ambassador in Sweden, read a speech that he composed (And no, I had never heard of our ambassador to Sweden until I looked it up this weekend). Among those who care about this […]

Mitch PerryDecember 7, 2016

“Image is everything” that great philosopher, Andre Agassi, once said in a series of television ads for Canon in the early 1990’s. Though a bit of an exaggeration, there’s no question that the image of the Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee has taken a significant body blow following its reorganization meeting on Monday night. To recap: Party Chair Ione Townsend concluded that the party’s by-laws […]

Mitch PerryDecember 6, 2016

By just 65 votes, Luis Viera defeated Jim Davison in the Tampa City Council District 7 special run-off election, taking 50.64 percent to Davison’s 49.36 percent, a difference of only a single percentage point. Viera received 2,588 votes to Davison’s 2,523, just 65 votes out of 5,120 cast. The special election was held to succeed Lisa Montelione, who […]

Mitch PerryDecember 5, 2016

Among the nuggets of information procured by watching the Sunday morning public affairs shows was that David Petraeus was one of the 93 million Americans who didn’t vote for president last month. “I don’t vote,” the retired four-star Army general told George Stephanopolous in ABC’s This Week when asked who he backed for president. “So that’s an easy answer. […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2016

Rick Kriseman’s appointment of former WTFS weatherman Bill Logan to serve in the newly created position of communications director for the public works department is getting (predictably) negative reviews in the Pinellas County GOP world, who think it is more “big government” from the Democratic-leaning administration. It naturally fuels speculation about who will the Pinellas County Republican prop up […]

Mitch PerryDecember 1, 2016

Florida lawmakers have been filing bills this week for the 2017 Legislative Session, and one of the most provocative ones so far is an immigration-related issue from Sarasota Republican Sen. Greg Steube. As initially reported by the Tampa Bay Times Claire McNeill, Steube would repeal the Jack Latvala-sponsored bill that waives out-of-state fees for undocumented Florida high school students. “It is certainly […]

Tag: Luis Viera
TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 4/18/25-Candles and remembrances are left near the Unconquered statue a few hours after the Florida State University Gathering of Unity Vigil held Friday to honor victims of the recent mass shooting. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

Bill Carlson cracks $50K raised for Tampa City Council bid

Luis Viera files for re-election on Tampa City Council; Jim Davison could challenge

Tampa City Council revives plan to close Bayshore Blvd on occasional Sundays

Citizens come together in Ybor City to protest Donald Trump’s executive order on refugees

Mitch Perry Report for 12.12.16 – Heroes

Mitch Perry Report for 12.7.16 – The Hillsborough County DEC melts down

By only 65 votes, Luis Viera defeats Jim Davison in Tampa District 7 run-off

Mitch Perry Report for 12.5.16 – David Petraeus, another disaffected voter?

Mitch Perry Report for 12.2.16 – The Rock in 2024?

Mitch Perry Report for 12.1.16 — What does Rick Scott and rest of Legislature do with bill repealing in-state tuition rates for the undocumented?