Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 21, 2016

In the battle for the Senate District 19, encompassing Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, Ed Narain received some big endorsements Monday. Tampa Bay area Congresswoman Kathy Castor endorsed his candidacy, as did the man she succeeded in Congress, Jim Davis. Tampa City Council Chairman Mike Suarez is also backing Narain. “As a state representative, Ed has been a great partner as we worked to bring more jobs, […]

Mitch PerryJune 17, 2016

The Florida AFL-CIO is taking sides in the competitive Democratic primary in the House District 59 race, backing Naze Sahebzamani in her race against Rena Upshaw-Frazier. “I am proud and grateful for the support of the Florida AFL-CIO in my run for the Florida State House of Representatives, District 59,” Sahebzamani said in a statement. “I […]

Mitch PerryJune 14, 2016

The dominant word at a vigil held in Ybor City on Monday night to honor the victims of the shooting massacre in Orlando was “love.” A crowd of at least 2,000 people gathered for two hours in a parking lot on the north side of 7th Avenue between 14th and 15th streets to hear locally elected […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2016

Ross Spano, running for re-election in Hillsborough County’s House District 59 race, raised $20,250 in May, and now has more than $121,000 in his campaign coffers. Spano will face the winner of the Aug. 30 Democratic primary between Rene Frazier and Naze Sahebzamani. Frazier, who has received financial support from the Florida Democratic Party in her race, […]

Mitch PerryMay 17, 2016

Are Tampa and the state of Florida on the cutting edge of transportation that is about to transform the world in the next decade? Though Tampa leaders frustrated with the Florida Department of Transportation might think otherwise, that’s the viewpoint espoused Tuesday by Ray LaHood, the former secretary of transportation in Barack Obama’s first term in […]

Mitch PerryMay 5, 2016

Outgoing state legislator Arthenia Joyner has been a pioneer throughout her professional career in law and politics, and with just months to go before she ends her legislative career in Tallahassee, she was given a commemoration Thursday by the Tampa City Council honoring her work. The 73-year-old lifelong Democrat currently represents Tampa’s Senate District 19, where she […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 1, 2016

With the Florida Legislature already powering through a third of their nine-week regular legislative session, board members with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit agency (HART) expressed concerns on Monday regarding their chief legislative budget request for 2016. That would be a regional fare box system and smart card system — which would provide a uniform bus payment […]

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 PerryNovember 20, 2015

The Tampa City Council rejected a proposal from Mayor Bob Buckhorn‘s administration that would have made a serious dent in alleviating the city’s epic problems with stormwater runoff yesterday. The plan wasn’t cheap — $251 million, and it certainly left open a lot of questions about how fair it was for everyone to pay the […]

Mitch PerryOctober 9, 2015

The activists went home unhappy Thursday night, but their goals were never the same as the majority on the Tampa City Council regarding the creation of a citizens review board to watchdog the Tampa Police Department. City Council voted 5-2 Thursday evening to a compromise proposal on who gets to select the members of the […]

Tag: Mike Suarez
Lake Mary’s team celebrates in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. Image via AP.

Kathy Castor and Mike Suarez endorse Ed Narain in SD 19 race

AFL-CIO endorses Naze Sahebzamani in HD 59 race

Thousands crowd into Ybor City to remember the Orlando victims

Ross Spano leads all candidates in fundraising in HD 59 race

Panel talks all about the future of driverless cars and how they’ll adapt to it

Tampa City Council honors Arthenia Joyner as her legislative career winds down

HART members contemplate WWJD – What will Jack Latvala do on fare box plan?

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

Mitch Perry Report for 11.20.15 – Buckhorn stormwater tax plan gets killed. Now what?

Mitch Perry Report for 10.9.15 – First chapter in Tampa citizens review board saga ends