Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesNovember 3, 2018

One more weekend. The 2018 mid-terms come to a close in a matter of days, leaving candidates scrambling for votes. Here’s where candidates should be this weekend, though importantly, a tragedy in Tallahassee could change any number of political plans. Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis will campaign in Lakeland alongside U.S. Agriculture Secretary and former […]

Peter SchorschAugust 4, 2018

Every July Fourth, Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston reads a copy of the Declaration of Independence reprinted in the Tallahassee Democrat. “I always sit in the morning with a cup of coffee and read back through that,” Polston told members of the Economic Club of Florida in Tallahassee this week. “I just enjoy doing […]

Peter SchorschJuly 28, 2018

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With a brow-raising $89.3 billion for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the state appropriated the largest budget in Florida history, a $4.36 billion increase from last year. Those big numbers make Florida TaxWatch’s recently released Taxpayer’s Budget Guide all the more valuable. Authored by the watchdog group’s vice president of research, Kurt Wenner, the interactive series […]

Peter SchorschJuly 21, 2018

Clouds are brewing over the journalism industry, but the long-term forecast is promising. That’s according to Diane McFarlin, the former publisher of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and current dean of the University of Florida College of Journalism. She delivered a media ‘forecast’ to an audience of UF alumni in Tallahassee this week. In the short term, […]

Danny McAuliffeJuly 18, 2018

Ahead of Thursday’s state Legislative Budget Commission meeting, Gov. Rick Scott is making it clear that he wants the panel to approve a $340 million federal block grant designed to help Florida citrus growers get back on their feet. “I look forward to the legislature approving these important funds tomorrow so we can get this […]

Danny McAuliffeJune 12, 2018

While unchanged from May, the latest and last forecast of the 2017-2018 orange growing season is a brutal reminder of Hurricane Irma’s devastation. On Tuesday, the United States Department of Agriculture forecast Florida would produce 44.95 million boxes of oranges in total. That’s a continuation from May forecasts, which saw a slight dip from April. […]

Danny McAuliffeMay 10, 2018

There’s good and bad in the latest United States Department of Agriculture citrus forecast; projected numbers are down, though not by much, signaling stability. USDA projections released Thursday estimate Florida growers will produce 44.95 million boxes of oranges in the current growing season. At the start of the citrus season in October, USDA officials estimated the […]

Danny McAuliffeMay 1, 2018

A bit more money is on the way for Florida citrus growers affected by Hurricane Irma. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced on Monday that his agency will provide a $340 million block grant to the state to cater to Irma-affected farmers during the 2018-2020 crop year — that’s in addition to the […]

Guest AuthorApril 16, 2018

Agriculture has continued to be Florida’s second largest industry for many years now. Even so, the industry itself is still a mystery to many who live in Florida’s sprawling suburbia. Our congressional district proudly boasts the top cattle producing county (Osceola) and usual top citrus producing county (Polk). Just take a short drive out of […]

Peter SchorschApril 3, 2018

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Daniel McAuliffe, Jim Rosica, and Drew Wilson. Here’s a surprise the Easter bunny left in our basket: the latest edition of INFLUENCE Magazine, now available in digital format and coming soon in print. We had planned for this issue to […]

Tag: Sonny Perdue
Image via Palatka Main Street.

The Last Weekend: Where will candidates scramble for votes in final stretch?

Takeaways from Tallahassee — A justice talks civics

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Budget breakdown

Takeaways from Tallahassee — Weathering the storm

Rick Scott pressures lawmakers to OK citrus grant

USDA predictions end 30 million boxes short of pre-Irma orange forecasts

Citrus projections dip, but remain ‘relatively stable’

Feds announce $340M grant for Florida citrus

Darren Soto: The future of agriculture lies in Central Florida

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics – 4.3.18