Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryMay 10, 2016

Temple Terrace-based Republican Rep. Shawn Harrison raised $21,270 in April, and has over $100,000 cash-in-hand in the House District 63 race. Harrison is trying to defy the odds in this swing district in a presidential election year. The former two-term Tampa City Council member was first elected to the seat in 2010 but lost in the […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2016

Tampa City Councilwoman Lisa Montelione is the first of three major candidates vying for the House District 63 seat to report fundraising totals from April, bringing in $19,490, her highest fundraising month to date. Among those contributing $1,000 to her campaign last month was Cigar City Brewing founder Joey Redner, as well as his wife Jennifer. And […]

Peter SchorschApril 14, 2016

Three of the five Senate races in Hillsborough or Pinellas County feature an incumbent running without opposition. In a fourth race – the one for Senate District 18 – Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young has no challenger yet, although a Democrat is expected to file next week. As of April, SD 19 is the only Bay area seat with […]

Mitch PerryApril 11, 2016

(UPDATED) The Hillsborough County area House District 63 seat is one of those swing districts that Florida Democrats think and hope that they can switch in November. The power of incumbency is helping Shawn Harrison, the GOP incumbent in the race, to maintain financial dominance over the two Democrats vying to get the chance to succeed […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 3, 2016

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House Democratic hopeful Lisa Montelione is bashing House District 60 Republican Shawn Harrison for his vote on an abortion rights bill Tuesday. Harrison was one of eight Republicans on the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee voting in support of a bill that would effectively cut off state funding for women’s health organizations such as Planned Parenthood […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 11, 2016

Fundraising totals for what should be the ultracompetitive House District 63 seat were reported on Monday, and so far GOP incumbent Shawn Harrison is dominating the financial arms race over the two Democrats who have entered the contest. Harrison, obviously primed for a serious challenge come November, has now raised over $100,000, in the race ($100,300 to […]

Jim RosicaDecember 30, 2015

Julie Jones: The head of the embattled state Department of Corrections has been making headlines since her appointment this January, and 2016 promises a no less busy year. Reports of inmate deaths and abuses and criminal activity behind bars have been unfortunate staples of prisons coverage. Earlier this year, Republican state Sen. Greg Evers grew so concerned […]

Mitch PerryDecember 1, 2015

If you don’t know of anyone who is caught up in the Florida corrections system, stories about the care of prisoners may not matter much to you at all. But they have been disturbing, particularly regarding the state of health care for those who incarcerated. Rick Scott ran for office in 2010 promising to privatize […]

Mitch PerryNovember 30, 2015

Lisa Montelione said it was “excruciatingly hard” to decide to give up her Tampa City Council seat next year, but that’s what will happen now that she’s decided to run for the Florida Legislature in 2016. She’ll take on fellow Democrat Mike Reedy in the House District 63 primary next August, with the winner to […]

Mitch PerryMay 28, 2015

I couldn’t be happier this morning, after staying up until midnight last night to see my lifelong basketball team, the Golden State Warriors, defeat the Houston Rockets, and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1975. Of course, there’s a guy by the name of LeBron James who stands in their way […]

Tag: Mike Reedy
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Shawn Harrison raises more than $21,000 in HD 63 race in April

Gwen Graham contributes $1,000 to Lisa Montelione in her bid for HD 63

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay’s 2016 legislative races

Shawn Harrison leads HD 63 race in fundraising

Lisa Montelione blasts Shawn Harrison on abortion bill

Shawn Harrison killing it in fundraising so far in HD 63 race

Jim Rosica’s 5 people to watch in state government in 2016

Mitch Perry Report for 12.1.15 – Corizon Health Care terminates contract with Florida prisons. That’s not a bad thing

Lisa Montelione feels confident in HD 63 Democratic primary versus Mike Reedy

Mitch Perry Report for 5.28.15 — Are you ready for a George Pataki candidacy?