Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 3, 2019

The transition committee advising Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis on school safety raised concerns Thursday about clashing cultures of law enforcement, mental health professionals and educators, and argued that state officials must force changes in mindsets. Several members of DeSantis’ Transition Advisory Committee on Public Safety and state staff members advising the panel made stark assessments Thursday of progress made […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorOctober 23, 2018

Hillsborough County Commissioner Victor Crist and candidate Todd Marks sent out a dual-funded campaign mailer this week claiming Crist’s challenger, Mariella Smith, and Marks’ opponent, Kimberly Overman, support an $18 billion tax hike. Except there’s no factual support for that claim. “It’s a complete lie,” Smith said of the claim. “I just don’t know how they sleep […]

Janelle Irwin TaylorSeptember 24, 2018

Incumbent Dana Young continues to crush challenger Janet Cruz in fundraising. Information from the Division of Elections shows Young, the Republican now representing for Tampa’s Senate District 18 has nearly $500,000 cash on hand. Cruz has less than $50,000. The disparity stems from another huge gap in overall fundraising. To date, Young has raked in $718,000 from local, […]

Ryan NicolAugust 28, 2018

A new 30-second TV spot has Carlos Curbelo playing the role of referee when it comes to Washington politics. The ad, titled “Refereeing Washington,” harkens back to Curbelo’s first job as a basketball referee. Curbelo makes the case that the skills he learned back then help him shoot straight when it comes to political debates […]

Danny McAuliffeJune 27, 2018

Kristy Branch Banks was selected this week to serve a brief stint on the Franklin County School Board. Gov. Rick Scott appointed Banks to the District 3 post on Tuesday for a term that ends Nov. 13. Banks, 47, of Apalachicola, owns her own law practice. She received her law degree from Florida State University. […]

Guest AuthorJune 12, 2018

In the aftermath of the horrific mass shooting at their school, the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School have shown remarkable character and courage. Their resilience and capability to advocate for themselves, their fallen classmates and their peers across Florida, and throughout the country, in the midst of this trauma shows mettle rarely found […]

Scott PowersJune 1, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris King is proposing a tax on bullets to help fund new anti-gun violence and safety programs in Florida schools. The plan, rolled out Friday at a town hall meeting in St. Petersburg, calls for dedicating existing sales tax revenue on firearms and ammunition sales to a special fund, and then adding […]

Danny McAuliffeApril 23, 2018

The loss of life is priceless, but it seems the federal government is looking to mitigate other, tangible costs of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that left 17 dead. On Monday afternoon the Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance, or BJA, announced it would award a $1 million grant to the Florida Department […]

Scott PowersApril 4, 2018

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson got an earful Wednesday from school leaders, teachers, security officers, students, and parents in Orlando, all saying that they need help making schools safer — and for the most part, they need money. In a roomful of educators and students who appeared to mostly share his Democratic views, Nelson was told […]

Michael MolineMarch 7, 2018

As the House debated the post-Parkland bill Wednesday, Gov. Rick Scott refused to commit to signing it. “As you know, the bill is still being debated. When the bill makes it to my desk, I’m going to do what they don’t seem to be doing in Washington. I’m going to review the bill line by […]

Tag: school safety

Ron DeSantis’ school safety panel urges culture changes

Victor Crist and Todd Marks claim their opponents support an $18B tax hike; they don’t

In Tampa, Dana Young crushing Janet Cruz in money race

Carlos Curbelo on ‘refereeing’ politics: ‘I just call ’em like I see ’em’

Franklin County gets new school board member

Sean Shaw: A legal strategy to combat gun violence

Chris King proposes bullet tax for school violence prevention program

Feds chip in $1M for Parkland first responders

School officials, teachers, students tell Bill Nelson money is needed

Rick Scott refuses to be pinned down on school safety legislation