Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJune 15, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is launching a new Spanish-language television commercial Friday in Orlando and Miami highlighting his commitments to public education in Florida. The 30-second spot, “Escuela,” [“School,”] shows shots in a classroom and Levine visiting with students as a narrator talks about Florida public schools being underfunded and teachers underpaid, and about […]

Scott PowersJune 8, 2018

The Florida Education Association is backing Democrat Gwen Graham, a former schools’ counsel in Leon County, for governor. “Supporting Gwen Graham is an easy choice for anyone concerned about Florida’s schools. She is the public education dream candidate,” FEA president Joanne McCall stated in a letter to members Thursday night. “She supports increasing salaries for […]

Scott PowersJune 1, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is turning his focus to schools and teachers in his new television commercial being launched statewide Friday. The 30-second spot, “Class is In” includes Levine’s platform pledges of increasing teachers’ salaries by $10,000, increasing funding for schools, and stopping state tests. His campaign is putting $1 million behind airing the […]

Scott PowersMay 10, 2018

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham is turning to her life as the PTA mom and as a school district lawyer in her latest digital ad, which her campaign is reporting is backed by a significant though unspecified advertising buy. The two-minute, 13-second video is a quick biography of her, touching on her relationship with her […]

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 […]

Peter SchorschMarch 26, 2018

State Sen. Montford, a Tallahassee Democrat, had said he would announce a decision on running for mayor of Tallahassee this past weekend, but a spokesman said the longtime elected official has not yet made up his mind. Montford did not respond to calls and messages left Sunday. Montford, 70, was a popular school principal, Leon […]

Scott PowersMarch 6, 2018

Expressing frustration with what the Florida Legislature is doing with guns and schools, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Philip Levine is placing another nearly $2 million buy for statewide TV commercials this month, his campaign announced Monday. The commercials will continue for a while with his “We Will” spot that launched in late February on a $750,000 […]

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 […]

Scott PowersFebruary 26, 2018

A set of three new proposed bills in the Florida House announced Monday seek to make significant changes in the state’s gun laws. Among the proposals: Raise the minimum age for buying a gun in Florida to 21, expand the three-day waiting period to cover the purchase of all firearms, ban “bump stocks,” and create […]

A.G. GancarskiFebruary 7, 2018

HB 839, a bill requiring school districts to display Florida’s motto “In God We Trust,” cleared its final House committee stop Wednesday. The bill requires display in all “school buildings” in a given district, including school district structures. The House Education committee cleared the bill Wednesday with just one no vote, with Republicans and Democrats […]

Tag: schools

Philip Levine launches Spanish ad on schools in Orlando, Miami

State teachers’ union endorses Gwen Graham

Philip Levine out with schools and teachers commercial

Gwen Graham digital ad focuses on PTA mom, schools lawyer

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

Bill Montford still on the fence on TLH mayoral run

Philip Levine placing another nearly $2 million in TV ads

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

New bills propose gun controls, school law enforcement frameworks, Sunshine exemptions

Bill requiring schools to display state motto clears final House panel