Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Martin DyckmanMarch 21, 2017

The home office pulled me out of a meeting at the Florida Capitol. Former Gov. Claude R. Kirk Jr., was on their line, insisting that I be told right now (!) how much he liked an antibusing provision that the Legislature was considering tacking on the budget. He liked it so much, he told the […]

Martin DyckmanMarch 9, 2017

It would tax the imagination to come up with anything that Florida needs less than to elect a secretary of state once again. Why would the Legislature even consider that? Sen. Aaron Bean, the sponsor, explained it the other day. As reported by FloridaPolitics.com, the Fernandina Beach Republican told the Senate ethics committee that in […]

Martin DyckmanFebruary 22, 2017

Is Florida’s judicial ethics commission about to become collateral damage in a battle over the independence of the courts? House Speaker Richard Corcoran, the Land O’Lakes Republican, appears to have targeted the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) along with the courts themselves in his campaign to curb the independence of the judiciary. The JQC and the […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 16, 2017

If it is to be believed, as Donald Trump evidently does, that government is just another business, then Rex Tillerson is a plausible nominee for secretary of state. Hasn’t he been running one of the most powerful and profitable businesses in this corner of the universe? But government is not a business. The duty of […]

Martin DyckmanNovember 9, 2016

On the next to last morning of our nation’s most dreadful campaign, my wife questioned whether it’s possible to be a politician without losing one’s soul. As I started to name those I knew who had kept theirs, word came that my old friend Janet Reno had died. I rested my case. Her integrity ran […]

Staff ReportsJune 11, 2016

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There are more than 300 candidates running for the 160 seats in the Florida House and Senate. And, try as we will, FloridaPolitics.com won’t be able to interview all of them. So we are asking every candidate, including incumbents, to complete a questionnaire we believe offers an interesting, albeit, thumbnail sketch of who they are and […]

Martin DyckmanJune 10, 2016

Assume that Pam Bondi were a judge. That’s a dismal prospect but bear with it. Assume further that she asked for a campaign contribution from a big shot businessman who was being sued in her court — and that after getting the money, she dismissed the case. If she was a judge, instead of Florida’s […]

A.G. GancarskiJanuary 5, 2016

David Beattie, known in Northeast Florida for his work as a senior adviser for the campaigns of former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown, said Monday his Hamilton Campaigns firm will merge with EMC Research. “Both firms have a history of conducting quality opinion research and providing a level of service to clients that is truly an added […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 5, 2016

Legislation calling on Florida to once again elect a state education commissioner strikes me as the wrong solution to a real problem. There are plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with the state of education in the Sunshine State but none is enough, in my opinion, to enlarge the Cabinet and dilute the responsibility of […]

Martin DyckmanJanuary 4, 2016

Legislation calling on Florida to once again elect an education commissioner strikes me as the wrong solution to a real problem. There are plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with the state of education in the Sunshine State but none is enough, in my opinion, to enlarge the Cabinet and dilute the responsibility of the […]

Tag: Reubin Askew

Martin Dyckman: Before Donald Trump, there was Florida’s Claude Kirk

Florida doesn’t need an elected Secretary of State, or Agriculture Commissioner

Judicial ethics watchdog could suffer in fight for independent Florida courts

Donald Trump, government is not a business. Reject Rex Tillerson.

Martin Dyckman: Remembering the broad, deep integrity of Janet Reno

Meet Alex Barrio, Democrat running for House District 48

Martin Dyckman: Pam Bondi’s mess too pungent to ignore

Hamilton Campaigns merges with EMC Research

Martin Dyckman: Restoring elected education commissioner won’t fix schools

Martin Dyckman: Restoring elected education commissioner won’t fix schools