Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 11, 2018

Nobody expected a tragedy like Parkland to suck all the oxygen out of the Legislature’s 2018 Regular Session. Lobbyists were left scrambling to save their clients’ priorities as lawmakers hustled to rejigger the budget to accommodate hundreds of millions of dollars for school safety and mental health initiatives. Some survived, many did not; although that’s […]

Staff ReportsMarch 10, 2018

The 2018 Legislative Session came and went, and Brian Pitts of the advocacy group Justice 2 Jesus was nowhere to be found. One of the last times he was spotted was November at the Oversight, Transparency & Administration Subcommittee. It was the last meeting for former state Rep. Neil Combee and after he said farewell, […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

Saying the Democratic Party needs a gubernatorial nominee with the passion to be “transformational” in addressing gun legislation, Chris King on Wednesday went after poll-leader Gwen Graham, contending that when she was in Congress she “never supported an assault weapons ban.” Speaking in Tallahassee Wednesday, King said the party needs “a champion for gun safety and […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine‘s campaign and political committee combined to raise $450,000 and he added another $800,000 of his own, bringing his total funds raised to more than $10 million, he announced Wednesday. Levine, the former mayor of Miami Beach, contended that he now leads his nearest competitor in the Democratic primary race by […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2018

An attempt by Orlando Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith to get the state to provide $1 million to help build a Pulse nightclub memorial in Orlando drew some crossover votes from Republicans (including many from Central Florida) but failed in the House Tuesday night. The proposed amendment, which would have added $1 million for […]

Scott PowersMarch 3, 2018

What are progressive Democrats to do when faced with an omnibus school safety and guns bill that has a few things they like but doesn’t have any of the major provisions they’ve insisted on, and also includes something that they worry might be a poison pill? Democratic state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Amy Mercado […]

Peter SchorschMarch 3, 2018

There is “zero tolerance” for sexual harassment in the Legislature, leaders say, but an ethics reform package that would create new rules and penalties for sexual harassment may not become law this year. The Florida House unanimously passed the proposal this week, but Republican Sen. Dennis Baxley is blocking the bill in the Senate because […]

Scott PowersMarch 2, 2018

Democrats have launched billboards in Orlando and Tallahassee that declare that Gov. Rick Scott did nothing to address gun safety following the June 12, 2016, Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando. The Florida Democratic Party has leased two billboards, and the one in Orlando went live Friday. The message charges that the Republican governor’s commitment to […]

Scott PowersMarch 2, 2018

The Pride Fund to End Gun Violence, a national gay rights organization launched in response to Orlando’s 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in order to advocate gun control, is releasing a new video focusing on the pain and anger surrounding mass murders, with the intention of keeping emotions high. The video makes a direct accusation toward […]

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 […]

Tag: Pulse
The Orlando Economic Partnership's Public Leadership Institute (OEP)

Winners and losers emerging from the 2018 Legislative Session

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Where is Justice 2 Jesus?

Chris King attacks Gwen Graham’s record on guns; she calls attack ‘predictable but sad’

Philip Levine raises $450K in February, adds his own $800K check

Carlos Smith’s $1M Pulse memorial amendment draws some Republicans, but fails

Amy Mercado, Carlos Smith hear opinions on schools and guns bill

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Ethics reform in peril

Democrats’ Orlando billboard proclaims ‘Rick Scott did nothing’ after Pulse

Pride Fund launching on-line video focusing on the emotions of gun violence

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