Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Steve SchaleMay 9, 2016

Six months before Election Day, now that the candidates and races are starting to develop, I wanted to take a look at my favorite of all subjects: state House races. For those of you who don’t know me well, I cut my teeth in the Florida House. State House races are my first political love, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 9, 2016

Rod Smith raised more than $170,000 in April, his campaign announced on Monday. The campaign announced Smith raised $171,625 in the one-month fundraising period. Of that sum, $87,375 went into his personal campaign account. The remaining $84,250 was given to Independent Leadership for Florida, the political committee supporting Smith’s election. The April numbers boost the […]

A.G. GancarskiMay 5, 2016

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Jacksonville event promoter Darren Gardner has filed as a Republican in House District 13, where the incumbent is embattled Reggie Fullwood. His website bio contains a statement that is unusual, in the world of Jacksonville politicos, for its candor: “Being a Jacksonville Nightlife, Daylife & Fine Dining Promoter is my dream job! I get paid to party!” […]

Scott PowersApril 29, 2016

Orange County Commission candidate Betsy VanderLey responded Friday to reports that she had been hit by multiple liens for unpaid taxes in the mid-1990s, saying the liens were the results of mistakes made by the state at that time. State records do not back up that defense, though little information is available about the tax […]

Scott PowersApril 20, 2016

Republican Thuy Lowe has moved her campaign to Congressional District 10, from Congressional District 5, becoming the lone Republican running in the redrawn district. Lowe, 50, is a businesswoman from Sorrento. She was a resident of CD 5 before last December’s redistricting, and remained filed there, though with a suspended campaign, until now. She had […]

Scott PowersApril 8, 2016

Orlando Republican candidate Dean Asher has received the endorsement of state Sen. Travis Hutson in Asher’s quest to be elected in the Orlando-based Senate District 13. Asher, a real estate professional, is the lone Republican seeking to succeed term-limited state Sen. Andy Gardiner in the district, which covers much of northern and eastern Orange County. […]

Scott PowersApril 7, 2016

Republican businessman and youth pastor Peter Vivaldi of Windermere has filed to run for the Florida Senate in the Orlando-based Senate District 15. Vivaldi, 54, said Thursday he decided to run after spending much of this past session of the Florida Legislature in Tallahassee advocating on issues ranging from education choice to religious freedom. Vivaldi […]

Bill RuftyMarch 30, 2016

As big time Republican leaders prop up their egos and influence by supporting this presidential candidate or that presidential candidate and threatening not to support another, a significant grassroots GOP organization, which does the heavy campaign lifting right down to the grassroots, says it will support whoever the nominee is. The board of the National […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2016

Donald Trump is hitting the television airwaves in Florida Monday with his first ad for the state’s primary, one that bashes favorite son U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, calling him “corrupt,” Trump’s campaign announced. The 30-second spot called “Corrupt Marco” is all about Rubio, with no mentions of Trump until the “I approve this message” line, […]

Scott PowersMarch 7, 2016

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Fresh from his resounding win in Puerto Rico and in need of an even bigger prize, Marco Rubio‘s campaign has turned to appeal to Florida’s Puerto Rican community to help make a difference on March 15. The Rubio campaign rolled out four prominent Central Florida Puerto Rican Republican surrogates Monday, Daisy Lopez-Cid, Dennis Freytas, Luis Martinez […]

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Steve Schale: Florida state House rankings, May 2016

Democrat Rod Smith raises more than $171K in April

Event promoter files as Republican candidate in HD 13

Betsy VanderLey describes 22-year-old tax liens as state errors

Thuy Lowe switches to Congressional District 10 race from CD 5

Dean Asher endorsed by Travis Hutson for Senate District 13 race

Republican Peter Vivaldi enters SD 15 race

Federation of Republican Women: We support the nominee

Donald Trump hits Florida airwaves with ad calling Marco Rubio “corrupt”

Fresh off Puerto Rico win, Marco Rubio pushing for Florida’s Puerto Ricans