Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerrySeptember 1, 2016

I think I speak for a lot of Florida political observers in expressing my disappointment that, for whatever reason, Patrick Murphy never debated his Democratic Senate opponents, Pam Keith and Alan Grayson, during the just-concluded primary campaign. Murphy avoided debates organized by Florida Public Radio stations and Bay News 9/News 13 in Orlando well before […]

Mitch PerryAugust 31, 2016

Although Pam Keith was always in the Senate race to win it, she won’t deny the sense of satisfaction she felt Wednesday, even though she came up well short of defeating Patrick Murphy for the Democratic nomination. Keith captured more than 173,000 votes in the Florida Democratic Primary, finishing less than 2.5 percent behind Alan […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 31, 2016

Challenge, accepted? On Wednesday, Sen. Marco Rubio challenged Rep. Patrick Murphy to six media-sponsored live debates before Election Day. In a letter to Murphy, Rubio said Floridians deserved to hear from both candidates. Rubio easily won his primary Tuesday, receiving 72 percent of the vote. He’ll face Murphy — who beat Alan Grayson with 49 […]

Mitch PerryAugust 31, 2016

Good morning, everyone. Florida’s primary election is history. So, where to begin? Patrick Murphy will face Marco Rubio in November. Murphy crushed Alan Grayson, 59 to 18 percent, with Pam Keith a close third at 15 percent. Rubio gets credit for honesty, saying that he can’t say for sure that he’ll fulfill all six years of his term if elected, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 30, 2016

The ballot is set. Brian Mast will face Randy Perkins in the race to replace Rep. Patrick Murphy in Florida’s 18th Congressional District. According to preliminary election results, Mast, a combat veteran and a double amputee, won a crowded Republican primary with 38 percent of the vote. Rebecca Negron came in second with 26 percent, […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

Florida’s Democrats Tuesday picked U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy’s youth, moderate politics and well-oiled campaign machine to battle with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat this fall. Murphy, 33, of Palm Beach Gardens, crushed U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson of Orlando and lawyer Pam Keith of Miami in what had been a cutthroat primary […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 30, 2016

Sen. Marco Rubio cleared the first hurdle to re-election Tuesday. The Miami Republican easily defeated Carlos Beruff, a Manatee County homebuilder, in the Republican U.S. Senate primary. According to preliminary election results, Rubio received 71 percent of the vote. Beruff received 19 percent. “Marco has lived the American dream and will never stop working to […]

Staff ReportsAugust 30, 2016

Win or lose, at least there will be a party. Election night parties will be raging across the state Tuesday night. For some candidates, it’s a chance to celebrate and thank supporters; maybe even have a little bit of fun before the final sprint to November. It will be a somber event for others, marking […]

Mitch PerryAugust 30, 2016

Americans for Prosperity Florida is blasting Democratic Senate hopeful Patrick Murphy, a day after he expressed support for adding a government public option to the Affordable Care Act. “It is good to see Patrick Murphy leaving the privileged gates of his Palm Beach estate,” said AFP Florida state director, Chris Hudson. “Maybe while he’s out and about he should take […]

Tom JacksonAugust 30, 2016

The impression I get is people have the wrong idea about primary elections. To apply a sports analogy, people — I’d call them voters, except they’re plainly not — think of primaries as the exhibition season. This is not without solid foundation. I mean, they do sort of look like the preseason. Starry-eyed unknowns hoping […]

Tag: Patrick Murphy

Mitch Perry Report for 9.1.16 —The debate about the debates begins in Florida

With more than 173,000 votes, Senate hopeful Pam Keith says she feels like a winner

Marco Rubio challenges Patrick Murphy to six televised debates

Mitch Perry Report for 8.31.16 — Moving on to November

Brian Mast wins CD 18 GOP nomination, will face Randy Perkins in November

Patrick Murphy easily wins Democratic nod for U.S. Senate race

Marco Rubio defeats Carlos Beruff in Senate primary

It’s not the party … it’s the after party! A rundown of where Florida candidates will be on Election Night

AFP-Florida bashes Patrick Murphy for supporting a public option in Obamacare

Tom Jackson: Maybe if we thought of primaries as playoffs …