Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

Saying the Democratic Party needs a gubernatorial nominee with the passion to be “transformational” in addressing gun legislation, Chris King on Wednesday went after poll-leader Gwen Graham, contending that when she was in Congress she “never supported an assault weapons ban.” Speaking in Tallahassee Wednesday, King said the party needs “a champion for gun safety and […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2018

Expressing frustration with what the Florida Legislature is doing with guns and schools, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is placing another nearly $2 million buy for statewide TV commercials this month, his campaign announced Monday. The commercials will continue for a while with his “We Will” spot that launched in late February on a $750,000 […]

Scott PowersMarch 5, 2018

When someone fails a background check while attempting to purchase a gun, that should be reported to state law enforcement as a possible precursor to criminal gun activity, under a bill being pushed by Florida’s U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson and a bipartisan group of several other key U.S. senators. Republican Rubio, Democrat […]

Peter SchorschMarch 3, 2018

There is “zero tolerance” for sexual harassment in the Legislature, leaders say, but an ethics reform package that would create new rules and penalties for sexual harassment may not become law this year. The Florida House unanimously passed the proposal this week, but Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley is blocking the bill in the Senate because […]

Scott PowersMarch 2, 2018

Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson was conspicuously absent from a meeting President Donald Trump convened Wednesday in the West Wing with key lawmakers and stakeholders in the gun violence debate following the Parkland massacre, and on Friday he dismissed the meeting as show, and predicted Trump will pivot from assurances he made there. Speaking […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis on Thursday denounced Florida Legislature efforts to tighten gun restrictions and said the mass shooting two weeks ago at the Parkland high school should be seen as “a catastrophic failure” by the Broward County sheriff and the FBI. DeSantis, a congressman from Ponte Vedra Beach, has made similar comments in […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King has released a new online campaign video declaring that the massacres in Pulse and Parkland demand a transformation of Florida politics, stressing his commitments to banning assault weapons, pushing for universal background checks, and expanding Medicaid. The 90-second video “This is the Year” includes footage of vigils held for the mass […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Survivors, family, and community members battered but not beaten by Florida’s two great recent tragedies met in Orlando Wednesday at Pulse nightclub, uniting in their grief, anger, determination and a frustration over how things do or do not change. A busload of Parkland community members, including families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students, came […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 28, 2018

When several amendments were filed on gun bills ahead of their hearings in the House and Senate budget committees on Tuesday, the mother of a teacher killed in the Parkland shooting said she felt misled by the Legislature. Linda Beigel Schulman’s son Scott Beigel was among the 17 killed by 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz on Feb. […]

Scott PowersFebruary 28, 2018

Declaring that Florida lawmakers are failing to respond to post-Parkland calls to address guns, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King said Wednesday that the people of Florida deserve a special session. King, a Winter Park businessman, advocated for a ban on military-style assault weapons and comprehensive background checks on gun purchases, and contended that Marjory Stoneman […]

Tag: massacre

Chris King attacks Gwen Graham’s record on guns; she calls attack ‘predictable but sad’

Philip Levine placing another nearly $2 million in TV ads

Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson push bipartisan bill to tighten reporting on gun background checks

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Ethics reform in peril

Bill Nelson bemoans snub to White House gun meeting as ‘counter productive’

Ron DeSantis calls Parkland massacre a failure of FBI, sheriff; denounces state gun proposals

Chris King releases video ad on Parkland, Pulse, seeking ‘transformation’

Parkland meets Pulse, uniting in grief, anger and frustration

Mother of dead Parkland teacher questions Legislature’s transparency

Chris King decries loopholes in gun laws, urges special session