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Staff ReportsSeptember 12, 2016

A Gainesville state lawmaker was involved in an alleged battery over the weekend. Rep. Keith Perry was involved in an incident Saturday that included battery and trespassing. According to a one-page Gainesville Police report, the weapons used in the incident were “hands, feet, fists, spitting.” The incident occurred in the 2200 block of West University […]

Drew WilsonSeptember 7, 2016

Gainesville Republican Rep. Keith Perry scored a fundraising win over former Sen. Rod Smith in his final report before Florida’s primary election, but he still has a long way to go to catch up to his Democratic Senate District 8 rival. Perry, who currently holds the HD 21 seat, brought in $48,850 between Aug. 13 […]

Scott PowersSeptember 6, 2016

If campaign money is any measure, eight of the 17 contested Florida Senate seats appear competitive this fall, according to data gathered, compiled and provided by On 3 Public Relations of Tallahassee on Tuesday. That’s after 13 senators were elected either in the Aug. 30 primary or before because of lack of competition, and that’s not counting 10 other […]

Mitch PerrySeptember 1, 2016

Gwen Graham cut short her trip to Tampa Thursday, returning to Tallahassee to contend with Tropical Storm Hermine, which is expected to make landfall as a hurricane by early Friday in North Florida. The Tallahassee-based Democratic representative, already considered a leading candidate to run for governor in 2018, has been hobnobbing around the state this week. She […]

Peter SchorschAugust 29, 2016

When the dust settled after Florida’s 2014 elections, there was one clear loser: Florida’s trial attorneys. Here’s what I wrote in my column identifying the winners and losers of that election cycle: You know how sometimes there is a really sh*tty movie released that, despite the bad reviews and poor showing at the box office, […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 28, 2016

A political committee tied to Democrat Rod Smith has given more than $393,000 to the Florida Democratic Party since May, around the same time party began airing TV ads supporting him. The state party can purchase ad time at a more affordable rate than candidates’ committees, but state law prohibits political parties and affiliated committees […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 26, 2016

Florida Democrats posted big fundraising numbers in the second reporting period of 2016. State records show the Florida Democratic Party raised more than $4.7 million between April 1 and Aug. 25. That sum accounts for non-federal funds, and is more than double what the Florida Democratic Party raised in the second period of 2012. “We’re […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 9, 2016

A North Florida state Senate race is pulling in big money. Keith Perry and Rod Smith have raised a combined $712,000 in Senate District 8. The race pits two well-known commodities against one another in the November general election. State records show Perry, a state representative since 2010, raised $16,760 between July 23 and July […]

Peter SchorschAugust 1, 2016

The Florida Chamber of Commerce last week rolled out a second round of endorsements in legislative races across the state. There are more than 400 candidates who have qualified to run for the 160 seats in the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Senate. With this latest round of endorsements, the Chamber is now backing 110 candidates […]

Drew WilsonJuly 14, 2016

The Rod Smith campaign released its third ad in the Senate District 8 campaign Thursday, and this one takes direct aim at his opponent, Republican Rep. Keith Perry. “In North Central Florida, our economy and way of life depend on safe water,” Smith says in the ad. “My opponent Keith Perry voted to ignore local […]

Tag: Rod Smith

Report: Keith Perry involved in alleged battery incident

Keith Perry wins last SD 8 primary money report, still lags behind Rod Smith

Few state Senate races are financially competitive

Gwen Graham says she gets part of Donald Trump’s appeal

Trial lawyers with most to gain in Florida’s primary elections

Donations from committee backing Rod Smith came within weeks of FDP ad buys in SD 8

Florida Dems raised $4.7 million in second fundraising period of 2016

Keith Perry, Rod Smith bring in big money in SD 8 race

10 picks that stand out among the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 legislative endorsements

Rod Smith drops 3rd ad in SD 8, taking direct aim at Keith Perry