Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersFebruary 22, 2016

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio always had an uphill battle to win Florida’s Republican Hispanic support away from Jeb Bush in the 2016 presidential race, and now that Bush is gone there appears to be no automatic switch. Bush, who dropped out after a disappointing showing in South Carolina Saturday, had developed powerful loyalty among a […]

Scott PowersFebruary 15, 2016

Saying, “Enough is enough,” Hillary Clinton on Monday renewed her call for a federal assistance plan for Puerto Rico, and accused hedge funds of blocking the commonwealth’s attempts to recover from economic collapse. Clinton said she is reiterating her call “more urgently than ever amidst a growing crisis” on the island. She accused hedge funds of […]

Ryan RayJanuary 25, 2016

State Sen. Darren Soto, flanked by members of the Democratic Hispanic Caucus at the Capitol, told reporters Monday that if legislators and policymakers ignore the demands of Florida’s nearly 5 million Hispanic and Latino votes, they do so at their own peril. Hailing the group’s support and opposition to a raft of bills alongside caucus President Vivian Rodriguez, […]

Scott PowersJanuary 18, 2016

It came at the very end and was only 28 words long, but Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley‘s shout-out in the Democratic Presidential Debate Sunday night caught the attention of Central Florida Puerto Ricans eager for political attention for the island. O’Malley’s comment came after debate moderator Lester Holt of NBC News asked him, essentially, “Anything […]

Mitch PerryDecember 14, 2015

With Puerto Rico facing $72 billion in debt and not able to pay off its creditors, Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has joined a group of over a dozen mayors in the U.S. calling on Congress to restore the commonwealth its bankruptcy protections in the omnibus appropriations funding bill being debated in the House of Representatives. Interestingly, Buckhorn is the […]

Phil AmmannNovember 4, 2015

In opposing the bankruptcy filing for Puerto Rico, Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio said he does not believe in a “silver bullet.” Puerto Ricans should tighten their belts, he declared. According to Casey Tolan of Fusion, what Rubio fails to mention is that he received thousands of dollars in campaign cash from individuals – particularly […]

Associated PressSeptember 4, 2015

Puerto Rico’s financial crisis loomed over dueling Friday campaign appearances by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Marco Rubio, two presidential contenders with sharply different positions on a key issue for Puerto Rican voters whose influence is growing in U.S. politics. In a speech delivered entirely in Spanish, the young Florida senator blamed Clinton supporters […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 4, 2015

Marco Rubio opposes giving Puerto Rico the same type of bankruptcy protection available to U.S. towns and cities mired in fiscal crisis, he writes in an op-ed published in both Spanish and English today in El Nuevo Dia, Puerto Rico’s largest daily newspaper. “While some have suggested Washington can deliver a silver bullet solution to […]

Associated PressAugust 25, 2015

Central Florida was the top destination of Puerto Ricans moving from metro San Juan to the mainland two years ago. New data released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 6,200 Puerto Ricans moved to metro Orlando from the island’s capital in 2013. The New York metro area was the next most popular destination, […]

Associated PressApril 30, 2015

Republicans are bringing something unique to the 2016 presidential campaign: an ability to speak to Americans in both of their main mother tongues, Spanish as well as English. Democrats can’t match it. Previous GOP candidates couldn’t. But now, paradoxically, the party that’s on the outs with many Hispanic voters over immigration is the party that […]

Tag: Puerto Rico
Image via LinkedIn.

Marco Rubio not yet locking in Jeb Bush’s Florida Hispanic backers

Hillary Clinton renews call for Puerto Rico assistance

Darren Soto, Hispanic Democrats call for Puerto Rico assistance, economic reform

Martin O’Malley’s debate shout-out to Puerto Ricans catches Central Floridians’ attention

Bob Buckhorn calls on Congress to give Puerto Rico bankruptcy protection, while Buddy Dyer sits it out

After taking donations from hedge funds holding Puerto Rican debt, Marco Rubio opposed bankruptcy

Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio court Puerto Rico voters as crisis looms

In op-ed, Marco Rubio disdains bankruptcy protection for Puerto Rico

Orlando top spot for residents leaving Puerto Rico’s capital

Look who’s speaking Spanish: GOP 2016 contenders bring bilingual abilities