Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis on Thursday denounced Florida Legislature efforts to tighten gun restrictions and said the mass shooting two weeks ago at the Parkland high school should be seen as “a catastrophic failure” by the Broward County sheriff and the FBI. DeSantis, a congressman from Ponte Vedra Beach, has made similar comments in […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King has released a new online campaign video declaring that the massacres in Pulse and Parkland demand a transformation of Florida politics, stressing his commitments to banning assault weapons, pushing for universal background checks, and expanding Medicaid. The 90-second video “This is the Year” includes footage of vigils held for the mass […]

Scott PowersMarch 1, 2018

Survivors, family, and community members battered but not beaten by Florida’s two great recent tragedies met in Orlando Wednesday at Pulse nightclub, uniting in their grief, anger, determination and a frustration over how things do or do not change. A busload of Parkland community members, including families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students, came […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 28, 2018

At a Congressional roundtable Wednesday at the White House, Sen. Marco Rubio described the Parkland murders not as a failure of gun control, but as a “multi-systemic failure.” “This was a multi-systemic failure,” Rubio said. “The Sheriff’s Office knew this was a problem. The FBI knew this was a problem. The Department of Children and Families […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 28, 2018

It’s crunch time in Gov. Rick Scott‘s final Legislative Session, and in the wake of the mass murder in Parkland, a $500 million “school safety” plan is his last big pitch. The plan has three components: “Gun laws, school safety, and mental health.” The plan offers some moves toward gun control: restrictions of purchases by those […]

Scott PowersFebruary 28, 2018

Declaring that Florida lawmakers are failing to respond to post-Parkland calls to address guns, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King said Wednesday that the people of Florida deserve a special session. King, a Winter Park businessman, advocated for a ban on military-style assault weapons and comprehensive background checks on gun purchases, and contended that Marjory Stoneman […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 28, 2018

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Marco Rubio had a rough night last week in Sunrise, where he faced a lion’s den of hostile voters during a CNN live town-hall meeting featuring family members and friends of the victims of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland the week before. Rubio apparently isn’t too popular with the rest […]

Danny McAuliffeFebruary 28, 2018

As many speculate that Florida’s affordable housing issues will be exacerbated by the influx of Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria, the state Legislature intends to sweep millions from the Sadowski Trust, which funds the state’s affordable housing programs. Speaking with reporters late Tuesday night following an organizational meeting of the newly announced budget conference, Senate […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 27, 2018

The politics of guns in Florida has rapidly changed since the Valentine’s Day shooting in Parkland. Two Senate Republicans up for re-election this fall were hammered by their Democratic opponents Monday night following a Senate committee vote defeating a Democratic amendment to ban semi-automatic rifles. Tampa attorney Bob Buesing has vowed to be more aggressive in taking […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 26, 2018

Days after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement requested $1 million in emergency funding from the U.S. Justice Department to reimburse law enforcement agencies that responded to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, Florida’s U.S. Senators, Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio, wrote in support of the request, urging quick reimbursement, along with U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch. […]

Tag: Parkland

Ron DeSantis calls Parkland massacre a failure of FBI, sheriff; denounces state gun proposals

Chris King releases video ad on Parkland, Pulse, seeking ‘transformation’

Parkland meets Pulse, uniting in grief, anger and frustration

Marco Rubio says Parkland murders result of ‘multi-systemic failure’

Rick Scott pitches gun control, school hardening proposals in Jacksonville market

Chris King decries loopholes in gun laws, urges special session

Marco Rubio upside down in new Q poll, especially with Hispanics

Budget remarks don’t bode well for Sadowski Trust

Campaigning: Democrats blast GOP after assault weapons ban fails

Marco Rubio, Bill Nelson back FDLE request for $1 million for Parkland reimbursement