Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2017

A day after an attempt by Senate Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act crashed and burned, Lakeland GOP Congressman Dennis Ross blasted members of his own party, saying he’s “sick of the excuses.” “The Senate has failed the American people and abandoned voters who were promised that they would repeal and replace the disastrous Obamacare. […]

Darryl PaulsonMarch 29, 2017

Until 1987, presidential nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court were respectfully received and reviewed by the U.S. Senate. In 1986, Antonin Scalia, a judicial conservative and constitutional originalist, was nominated by President Ronald Reagan to a vacancy on the court. He was confirmed 98 to 0 by the U.S. Senate. The confirmation process imploded in […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 16, 2017

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Citing his close ties to the oil industry, Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson said Thursday that he will be voting against Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s nomination to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. “It’s been well documented that the president’s pick is a friend of the oil industry,” Nelson said on the floor of the Senate. […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 6, 2017

Last month, Marco Rubio had harsh words for Rex Tillerson when he came before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as Donald Trump‘s pick for Secretary of State. But the Florida senator ultimately went ahead and supported the former ExxonMobil CEO anyway. Now protesters are hoping Rubio won’t cave on Betsy DeVos. With the Tillerson turnaround fresh […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 3, 2017

Tallahassee Mayor and potential 2018 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum says America’s kids deserve someone better than Betsy DeVos to serve as education secretary. The U.S. Senate voted early Friday to advance President Trump‘s choice at education to a final confirmation vote, expected Monday. The vote was 52-48 along party lines. Florida Democratic Senator Bill Nelson […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 2, 2017

Scott Pruitt is one step closer to being the next leader of the Environmental Protection Agency. On Thursday, Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted 11-0 to confirm Pruitt, who serves as Oklahoma Attorney General. Democrats on the committee boycotted the vote. Pruitt, a climate change skeptic, was one of 14 attorneys general suing the EPA over […]

Associated PressFebruary 1, 2017

Republicans jammed two of President Donald Trump‘s top Cabinet picks through the Senate Finance Committee with no Democrats in the room Wednesday after suspending a rule that would have otherwise barred them from taking the vote. The tactic seemed a warning shot that they might deploy brute political muscle in the upcoming fight over the […]

Scott PowersFebruary 1, 2017

Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson broke the suspense Wednesday afternoon when he announced he intends to vote against President Donald Trump‘s pick to be Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, whose family has strong ties in Nelson’s Orlando hometown. With defections of two Republican U.S. senators who announced earlier that they would vote against DeVos, the […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2017

Democrats across Florida are blasting President Donald Trump‘s executive order, which suspends for 120 days the entry of all refugees from certain Muslim countries to the United States. The order, signed Friday, bands Syrian refugees indefinitely, and for 90 days, it blocks entry into the U.S. for citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Among […]

Associated PressDecember 19, 2016

One of President-elect Donald Trump‘s first, and defining, acts next year could come on Republican legislation to cut off taxpayer money from Planned Parenthood. Trump sent mixed signals during the campaign about the 100-year-old organization, which provides birth control, abortions and various women’s health services. He said “millions of women are helped by Planned Parenthood,” […]

Tag: Susan Collins
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Dennis Ross blasts GOP Senate in wake of ACA debacle

Darryl Paulson: On Neil Gorsuch; both parties should just grow up!

Bill Nelson to vote against Scott Pruitt’s nomination for EPA Secretary

Activists march at Marco Rubio’s Tampa office, calling to reject Betsy DeVos as Education Secretary

Andrew Gillum says he stands with Florida teachers in opposing Betsy DeVos

Environment Florida wants Bill Nelson to reject Scott Pruitt as EPA head

GOP pushes 2 top Cabinet picks through to full Senate

Bill Nelson declares he’ll vote against Betsy DeVos; vote may come down to Mike Pence

Kathy Castor calls Donald Trump order on refugees ‘illegal, immoral and un-American’

Donald Trump action on health care could cost Planned Parenthood