Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 8, 2016

Florida’s Congressional District 13 seat based in Pinellas County has received a lot of attention in recent years. The special election to replace the late C.W. “Bill” Young in 2014 was one of the most expensive congressional elections in U.S. history. After the Florida Supreme Court ordered the state Legislature to redraw the district last year which […]

Mitch PerryMarch 17, 2016

Rick Baker is still thinking about entering the CD 13 race. The former St. Petersburg Mayor said so last Saturday night at the Pinellas County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner in St. Pete. When asked what his timetable was, Baker replied, “It’s gotta be soon.” Conventional wisdom is that the newly configured district is no longer viable for […]

Mitch PerryMarch 2, 2016

Pinellas County Democratic Congressional hopeful Eric Lynn had some news he couldn’t wait to announce before a group of Democrats at the Clearwater Main Library on Monday morning. “Because of my lifelong work on women’s rights, equality, I’ve talked to many in this room about the ERA — how we need the Equal Rights Amendment to make sure […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2016

Congressional District 13 candidate Eric Lynn said Friday that he raised more than $100,000 in the final three months of 2015 in his bid, ending the year with $550,000 in the bank. “Across Pinellas County, I have received an outpouring of support from voters who want to see meaningful change in Washington and our community,” […]

Mitch PerryDecember 16, 2015

With all the Republican candidates gathering at the Venetian in Las Vegas for the last GOP presidential debate in 2015, the question I ask you today is – will the Republican nominee be anyone other than Donald Trump or Ted Cruz? Trump was his classic self last night, but finally had somebody take it to […]

Mitch PerryDecember 15, 2015

Congressional District 13 Democratic hopeful Charlie Crist is coming out swinging against Republican Mark Bircher, in advance of Bircher’s formal kickoff campaign announcement Tuesday night. As this website reported Monday, Bircher, the retired Marine Corps Reserve brigadier general who finished third in the Republican race for Pinellas County’s 13th Congressional District race in January 2014, will hold his first event as a candidate for […]

Mitch PerryDecember 15, 2015

After the third GOP presidential debate in late October, I wrote in this space after Marco Rubio received plaudits for his effort if it would translate into votes. A couple of weeks later, after the fourth debate in Milwaukee, the conventional wisdom from pundits was that it was time that Rubio and Ted Cruz were […]

Mitch PerryDecember 3, 2015

While the news is all about the latest gun shooting in San Bernardino on Wednesday, let’s focus here on another death that’s been in the news a lot in the past couple of weeks: that being of Laquan McDonald, the black teenager killed by a white Chicago police officer a year ago. In between her […]

Mitch PerryDecember 2, 2015

Mark Bircher has filed paperwork to run for the 13th Congressional District seat in 2016, becoming the first Republican to do so. He’s the retired Marine Corps Reserve brigadier general who finished third in the district’s Republican primary in early 2014 to succeed the late Bill Young. The 62-year-old Seminole resident and commercial airline pilot […]

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2015

After Florida CFO Jeff Atwater surprised most political observers in Florida this spring and said he would not run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio next year, people began calling David Jolly, inquiring whether he might run for the seat. “I would be happy to see the field develop in a […]

Tag: Mark Bircher

Mark Bircher: I wouldn’t run if I couldn’t win CD 13

Rick Baker expected to announce soon whether he’s in or out in CD 13 contest

Eric Lynn boasts of his NOW endorsement — in front of Charlie Crist

Eric Lynn raises $100K in 4th quarter, $650,000 plus for 2015 in CD13 race

Mitch Perry Report for 12.16.15 — Fear and loathing in Las Vegas

Charlie Crist goes after Mark Bircher in fundraising note

Mitch Perry Report for 12.15.15 – Vegas, baby, Vegas!

Mitch Perry Report for 12.3.15 – Rahm Emanuel and Chicago are stuck with each other

Mark Bircher becomes the first Republican to enter CD 13 contest

David Jolly’s journey to U.S. Senate candidate