Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Danny McAuliffeDecember 17, 2018

A seat on the Tallahassee City Commission is up for grabs, and more than a dozen candidates already have pursued the rare opportunity to hold elected office without having to campaign. Gov. Rick Scott suspended City Commissioner Scott Maddox last week after Maddox and former Downtown Improvement Authority Executive Director Paige Carter–Smith were indicted by […]

Drew WilsonNovember 13, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott’s political committee, Let’s Get to Work, spent over $1.2 million last month on advertising, a blitz that foreshadows his likely 2018 bid for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Bill Nelson. Of the committee’s $1,281,290 in expenditures last month, $1,229,813 went towards ads. The main beneficiary was Maryland-based OnMessage, which has […]

Peter SchorschFebruary 23, 2017

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As long expected, Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda is pulling a reverse Charlie Crist. The former state representative for Tallahassee, who quit the Democratic Party and became an independent shortly before being term limited out of office last year, now has officially become a Republican. Rehwinkel Vasilinda, 56, officially announced the switch at the 2017 Leon GOP Lincoln Day Dinner held in […]

Staff ReportsOctober 25, 2016

With a tip of the hat to LobbyTools, here are the latest movements — both on and off — the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Mia Simon is no longer a legislative assistant for Fort Myers Republican state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto. On: Dane Bennett is now Benacquisto’s new legislative assistant. Off: Cameron Pennant is no longer a district secretary for Naples Republican Rep. Matt Hudson. […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 19, 2016

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Term-limited state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, who will leave office this November, says she has quit the Democratic Party. “This past Friday, I changed my voter registration from Democrat to NPA. No party affiliation,” she tweeted Monday morning, adding a red heart and U.S. flag emoji at the end. And she later tweeted in response […]

Ryan RayJune 13, 2016

Loranne Ausley brought in another formidable fundraising haul as she campaigned for her old legislative seat in House District 9 during the month of May. According to new campaign finance reports, the attorney and former lawmaker took in nearly $35,000 last month, $24,925 through her campaign account and $10,000 through an affiliated political committee called Florida 2020. […]

Diane RobertsMay 18, 2016

Gwen Graham has decided not to run for re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives. You can’t blame her: the redrawn map yanks the progressive heart out of Florida’s Second District, dividing — and diluting — Tallahassee. State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda made rightist noises about guns and Donald Trump earlier this spring, sounding as though […]

Ryan RayMay 12, 2016

Democrat Lorrane Ausley continued to lead the way in House District 9 fundraising for April. Ausley brought in $14,355 through her campaign account plus another $5,000 through an affiliated political committee, according to new campaign finance data. Republican opponent Jim Messer raised $9,950, including a $7,500 personal loan, while a pair of other Democratic hopefuls raised negligible sums. The […]

Ryan RayMay 2, 2016

After 300 hundred episodes and five years on the air, the Sunday morning public affairs program Facing Florida called it quits last month. Host and producer Mike Vasilinda told FloridaPolitics.com Monday that though he loved doing the show and felt it contributed to the political discourse around Tallahassee, the show was taking away too much from his […]

Peter SchorschApril 25, 2016

Like too many lawmakers and elected officials throughout Florida, state Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda did not vote in the March 15 Presidential Preference Primary, as reported by the Tallahassee Democrat and WTSP’s Noah Pransky. Most of those elected who failed to show up and do what they frequently ask voters to do — you know, VOTE — went belly […]

Tag: Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda

While the iron’s hot: Candidates seek to replace Scott Maddox

Rick Scott spent more than $1.2M on advertising last month

Surprise (or not): Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda joins the Republican Party

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Tallahassee’s Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda leaves Democratic Party

Loranne Ausley extends fundraising advantage in HD 9, raising $34K in May

Diane Roberts: GOP race for Gwen Graham’s CD 2 seat certainly not crazy-free

Loranne Ausley raises $19K in HD 9 race; GOP threat lags behind

Public affairs show ‘Facing Florida’ ends after five-year run

Calling B.S. on Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda