Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 3, 2015

At Rick Scott‘s cattle call in Orlando Tuesday (I refuse to call it the Happiest Place on the Earth), the six (potential) presidential candidates were told by the governor to stick to the economy, so the only time they could speak about other issues were generally if they came before reporters after their session on […]

Associated PressJune 3, 2015

Leading Republican presidential prospects faced off at an event Tuesday in battleground Florida, a state that could prove pivotal to the Florida heavyweights seeking the nomination, not to mention any rival who manages to win here instead. Jeb Bush, a former two-term Florida governor, and Florida’s junior Sen. Marco Rubio, were the home-state stars at […]

Daniel TilsonJune 2, 2015

OK, you got me. That’s a made-up name in the headline. But this week’s “Economic Growth Summit” hosted by Florida Gov. Rick Scott is all about the politics of make-believe, so anything goes. If life was fair, Scott’s summit would feature explanations and apologies to middle-class Floridians who’ve remained loyal to his hardcore conservative economic […]

Phil AmmannJune 2, 2015

In the GOP race for the 2016 presidential nomination, new polling shows Sen. Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush leading the pack, although no one candidate has emerged as a clear frontrunner. As it now stands, a new CNN/ORC 2016 poll has the race shaping up with some warnings for Democrat Hillary Clinton, as well as […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2015

It was big news in the Sunshine State political world last week when Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told talk-show host Laura Ingraham that, “I don’t think there’s a state out there where we couldn’t play in, other than maybe Florida,” referring to the power that Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush carry in their home state. But Walker […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2015

The so-called “fair tax” is a concept that’s been around about 15 years. It would replace all federal taxes with a simple consumption tax on all retail sales. Mike Huckabee spent most of his 34-minutes on the stage at the Disney Resort and Hotel on Tuesday touting the concept, saying it’s the single biggest factor to […]

Phil AmmannJune 2, 2015

A number of Republican presidential or prospective candidates in the increasingly crowded 2016 GOP presidential field will visit Walt Disney World this week – something that surely will draw attention. And that’s exactly what happened. A new email from the Florida Democratic Party blasts the entire Orlando Economic Growth Summit – presented by the always […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2015

In a five-minute videotaped message from Washington, Marco Rubio began Rick Scott’s Economic Growth Summit with a quick summation of some of his ideas to turn around the American economy if he’s elected president next year. Beginning with his familiar tale of how his Cuban immigrant parents, saying that since he officially kicked off his […]

Mitch PerryJune 2, 2015

Blame Rand Paul. The U.S. Senate is in session again Tuesday, and will be voting on amendments to the USA Freedom Act, which represents the first significant rollback of NSA surveillance that has been approved. Or at least that’s what the House did. Now the Senate will be working on a bill, which means Marco Rubio […]

Mitch PerryJune 1, 2015

The busy 2016 GOP presidential campaign moves to Florida for the first time this year on Tuesday, when seven Republican presidential or soon-to-be presidential candidates gather at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The official name of the event is the Economic Growth Summit, being sponsored by Gov. Rick Scott‘s Let’s Get To Work Political Action Committee. Jeb Bush, Marco […]

Tag: Marco Rubio
Special Needs Shelters. Image via Hillsborough County Department of Health.

Mitch Perry Report for 6.3.15 — Could rising crime become political issue in 2016?

High stakes for Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio in Florida presidential primary

Daniel Tilson: Rick Scott’s ‘Putting Lipstick On Piggy Economics Summit’ for GOP POTUS wannabes

New CNN poll: Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush lead GOP; Hillary Clinton stumbles

Scott Walker denies reports he won’t campaign in Florida

In Orlando, Mike Huckabee is all about fair tax

Email insights: FDP gets creative with “Shady Bunch”

Marco Rubio opens Rick Scott’s summit via video

Mitch Perry Report for 6.2.15 — U.S. senators doing their jobs

Next GOP presidential cattle call to stop at Disney World