Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Phil AmmannApril 24, 2016

Florida legislators may have publicly backed a presidential candidate, but new research finds that several lawmakers failed to vote in the state’s primary election. Noah Pransky of WTSP reports that a number of lawmakers — just like in 2012 – simply did not take part in Florida’s March 15 presidential preference primary, including four from […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterApril 12, 2016

The race to replace Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda in the Florida House could be shaping up to be an expensive one. State records show two candidates — Democrat Loranne Ausley and Republican Jim Messer — have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in the House District 9 race. Ausley, who served in the Florida House from […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 10, 2016

The Florida House rallied behind the Legislature’s proposed budget Thursday, teeing up the $82.3 billion spending plan up for a vote later this week. State lawmakers debated the budget, shrugging off a structured debate format that has been used in recent years. The reason? Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle appeared to support the […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 11, 2016

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, former CFO Alex Sink, and others are throwing a fundraiser in Tampa for fellow Democrat Loranne Ausley, who’s seeking a Tallahassee-area Florida House seat. Former state Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, who worked for Sink, on Thursday tweeted a photo of the invite to the event, to be held next Tuesday at […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 3, 2016

A third Democrat entered the race to take over for termed-out Democratic Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda last week, setting up another obstacle for former Rep. Loranne Ausley. Joshua Johnson entered the race on Jan. 29, and joins Ausley and Arnitta Jane Grice-Walker in pursuit of the Democratic nomination in the left-leaning District 9 seat. Ausley, who held the Leon […]

Phil AmmannNovember 2, 2015

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With a tip of the hat to Legislative IQ powered by LobbyTools, here are the latest movements – both on and off – of the legislative merry-go-round. Off: Chris Cantens is no longer the legislative assistant for Miami Lakes Republican state Rep. Jose Oliva. On: Sheree Vann is now the district secretary for Lake City Republican state Rep. Elizabeth Porter. […]

Drew WilsonOctober 8, 2015

Republican House District 9 candidate James Messer filed his first campaign finance report Thursday, and it looks like Democratic front-runner Loranne Ausley has a serious challenger in the left-leaning district. After four weeks in the race the Tallahassee attorney amassed $52,000 cash on-hand, a good deal of it coming from fellow attorneys. The total came […]

Ryan RayOctober 1, 2015

Cate Communications founder Kevin Cate today sent out the first month of data on Florida lawmaker responsiveness, as determined by his newest product Rocket Lobby. Rocket Lobby organizes and measures efforts by constituents to contact their local legislators. A citizen can enter their address and be directed towards the politician who represents them in both the state […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 25, 2015

Four states in the country now allow for the legal consumption of marijuana, and Tallahassee House Democrat Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda would love Florida to become the next state to do so. “I think that’s where we ought to be, frankly,” she said of her bill (HB 4021) that removes cannabis from being classified as a Schedule 1 drug. […]

Associated PressSeptember 16, 2015

Shacking up together could finally become legal again in Florida after 147 years. The House Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 10-3 on Wednesday to approve a bill to repeal the prohibition on cohabitation, which has been on the books since 1868. It is a $500 fine and up to 60 days in jail if a man […]

Tag: Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Florida lawmakers support presidential candidates, but forgot to vote in primary

Loranne Ausley outraises Jim Messer in House District 9 race

House prepares for vote on state’s $82 billion budget

HD 9 candidate Loranne Ausley plans Tampa fundraiser

3rd Democrat enters HD 9 race for 2016

Latest on the legislative staffing merry-go-round

Republican fundraising shows a serious challenger in Democratic HD 9

Kevin Cate’s first Rocket Lobby results are in: MRV, Lizbeth Benacquisto most responsive Fla. lawmakers

Florida House Democrat proposes state law to legalize pot

Florida bill to repeal ban on shacking up takes first step