Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 28, 2016

Florida Republicans dominate state government in Tallahassee, and in the state House, it’s not even close. Yet incoming House Minority Leader Janet Cruz says she “conservatively” believes the Democrats can flip six seats this coming fall, and — just as importantly — retain that number in 2018, beginning the party’s journey to finally getting close […]

Mitch PerryJuly 1, 2016

House District 63 GOP incumbent Shawn Harrison, always a strong fundraiser, continues to expand his fundraising lead over the Democrat he now knows he will face in November, Lisa Montelione. Fundraising totals from June 1 through June 24 were released Friday, and they show Harrison raised $9,400 during that period, while Montelione raised $6,360. Overall, […]

Mitch PerryJune 30, 2016

Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Les Miller and his wife, former Tampa City Councilwoman Gwen Miller, are backing Democrat Rena Frazier in the House District 59 race. Frazier, a Brandon-based attorney, is running in a competitive Democratic primary against Brandon-based schoolteacher Naze Sahebzamani Aug. 30. Frazier has raised more than three times as much campaign cash as Sahebzamani has in the campaign. At […]

Mitch PerryJune 30, 2016

Battling in an extremely competitive election this fall against Lisa Montelione, House District 63 Republican Rep. Shawn Harrison has procured another Democrat to back his re-election campaign. It’s former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco. “I’ve had the honor to serve our city and region for four terms as mayor, over several decades. During that time, I’ve had the privilege to work with […]

Mitch PerryJune 24, 2016

One of the few Hillsborough County Democratic primaries in the state legislature, the House District 63 race between Lisa Montelione and Mike Reedy, ended Friday when Reedy dropped out of the contest. “I wanted to personally let you know that today I have decided to end my campaign for State House,” said Reedy, an organizer with Equality Florida, stated […]

Joe HendersonJune 21, 2016

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You can never take a moment off in politics, so when Lisa Montelione saw an opportunity Tuesday morning, she got busy. A frisky black bear had climbed up a tree about two blocks from her home in north Tampa. While authorities worked to safely remove the animal, Montelione was thinking ahead. “I told them they […]

Mitch PerryJune 20, 2016

Frank Reddick has served with fellow Democrat Lisa Montelione on the Tampa City Council for the past five years, so you might expect him to back her in her race to win the State House District 63 race this fall. You might expect that, but you’d be wrong. On Monday, Reddick came out and endorsed Republican Shawn Harrison, who […]

Mitch PerryJune 16, 2016

Although Lisa Montelione announced last fall that she would challenge fellow Democrat Mike Reedy in the House District 63 primary election this August, she didn’t officially submit her resign-to-run letter announcing her departure from the Tampa City Council until last Friday. She wrote she was submitting her resignation with “a heavy heart,” and jokingly said Wednesday night that putting […]

Peter SchorschJune 16, 2016

Five months from Election Day, Republican Sens. Jeff Brandes, Jack Latvala, Tom Lee and Bill Galvano are still running unopposed. The only two bay area Senate seats in contention so far are the Senate District 18 contest between Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young and Democrat Bob Buesing and the three-way Democratic primary going down in SD 19. Young had built up quite the lead in her jump to the […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2016

Republican state Rep. Shawn Harrison raised $20,550 in May in his bid for re-election to House District 63 and now has more than $123,000 cash-on-hand. Harrison was first elected to the Hillsborough County area seat in 2010, before losing in 2012 to Mark Danish. He defeated Danish in 2014. He’ll face the winner of the Democratic primary between Lisa […]

Tag: Mike Reedy

Janet Cruz says she believes Florida Democrats can flip 6 House seats this fall

Shawn Harrison holds wide fundraising lead in HD 63 race

Rena Frazier gets the backing of Les and Gwen Miller in her HD 59 contest

Dick Greco is backing Shawn Harrison in the HD 63 race

Mike Reedy drops out of HD 63 race, meaning Lisa Montelione wins Democratic primary

Joe Henderson: When political opportunity knocks, Lisa Montelione gets busy

Democrat Frank Reddick endorses Republican Shawn Harrison in HD 63 race

Lisa Montelione anticipates ‘increasing’ public service by running for state Legislature

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay legislative races

Shawn Harrison brings in more than 20K in May in HD 63 race