Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJune 12, 2015

Thirty-eights years after Anita Bryant, Florida no longer officially bans gays from adopting children. Although it’s been legal for such couples to adopt since 2010, Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill into law Thursday night that now makes that official. The issue roiled social conservatives in and outside of the Legislature this spring. The inclusion of […]

Mitch PerryJune 11, 2015

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As has been the case in the past two Republican presidential primary cycles, CNN will be bringing its resources to Florida to host a televised debate. The cable news network announced Wednesday that it will come to the Sunshine State to host a debate on March 10, five days before registered Republican voters here will vote […]

Mitch PerryJune 11, 2015

The Tampa Bay Times lead Thursday is a story that we touched upon briefly Wednesday because the Legislature is now half-way through its Special Session in Tallahassee: There are fears among Tampa leaders that state funding for a USF College of Medicine building ($17 million) and accompanying USF Heart Institute ($15.75 million) is in peril. […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

Florida Gov. Rick Scott signed HB 7109 into law Wednesday, a bill that makes modest reforms at the state Public Service Commission. The law limits future Public Service Commission members to three consecutive four-year terms and requires commissioners to undergo annual ethics training. The bill was weakened when the House refused to accept a Senate amendment […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

The Jeb Bush-Marco Rubio mano-a-mano duel for the Republican nomination has certainly split Florida Republicans, though a majority of the establishment GOP has tended to side with Team Jeb. Then there are those who choose to remain neutral, such as John Stemberger, president of the Florida Family Policy Council, one of the leading social conservative organizations […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

Since he officially announced his candidacy nearly two months ago, Marco Rubio has mostly been on the ascendant as far as how Republican primary voters have responded to him, according to many polls. Conversely, Jeb Bush has had some problems, which is why it shouldn’t be surprising that a new St. Leo University Poll shows […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

Although he’s not an official candidate yet, Orlando-area U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson better be taken seriously by the Democratic Party establishment in Florida. That’s advice especially for those who think Patrick Murphy is their best bet to capture the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Marco Rubio next year. That’s one conclusion that can be […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

Having survived a proposal in the Legislature that would have prevented them from making any rule changes to regular Uber and Lyft, Hillsborough County Public Transportation Commission executive director Kyle Cockream said Wednesday that he will soon be recommending the “deregulation of some of our rules that we have.” The two ride-sharing companies have been […]

Mitch PerryJune 10, 2015

The big news in the Tampa Bay area Wednesday morning is Mike Salinero‘s exclusive in The Tampa Tribune that Hillsborough County Administrator Mike Merrill is prepared to recommend to county commissioners and Mayor Bob Buckhorn that a half-cent sales transit tax be put on the ballot in 2016, with 60 percent of the revenue going to […]

Mitch PerryJune 9, 2015

When it comes to performing in early polling, one of the biggest political stories of 2015 has been how Jeb Bush isn’t dominating the GOP presidential field. But a new Gravis Marketing Poll (done in conjunction with Boston talk-show host Howie Carr) shows the former Florida Governor now leading in New Hampshire by 8 percentage points. […]

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Mitch Perry Report for 6.12.15 — On this LGBT issue, Florida and Rick Scott resist social conservative pressures

CNN returning to Florida in March to host presidential debate

Mitch Perry Report for 6.11.15 — Picking winners and losers in Tallahassee

Rick Scott OKs modest reforms to Public Service Commission, public utilities

Report puts John Stemberger favoring Marco Rubio in presidential contest

Florida voters prefer Marco Rubio over Jeb Bush 48-40% in head-to-head matchup

New poll shows Patrick Murphy beats all likely GOP Senate possibles by at least 15 points

Hillsborough County PTC promises deregulation of some rules regarding Uber and Lyft

Mitch Perry Report for 6.10.15 — Game-changing developments?

Jeb Bush leads New Hampshire poll by 8 points