Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryFebruary 8, 2015

Since its inception in 2009, Joey Redner’s Cigar City Brewing has enjoyed tremendous growth and critical acclaim, winning international awards for its high quality craft beers. Among those admiring from afar apparently is the apotheosis of “Big Beer,” Anheuser Busch InBev, the world’s largest beer company in the world. According to a story in Sunday’s […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 29, 2015

At the Associated Press’ annual legislative planning meeting in Tallahassee on Wednesday, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli tossed a wet blanket on the coalition of businesses in Florida pushing for the state to expand Medicaid in 2015, saying,”House still stands where we stood before: We do not plan to do anything on Medicaid expansion.” Advocates for Medicaid expansion […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2015

The Hillsborough County School Board’s unceremonious dumping of Superintendent MaryEllen Elia reverberates three days after the fact. In today’s Times, Ernest Hooper bemoans the fact that Sally Harris, the swing vote that went against Elia on Tuesday night leading to her ouster, beat big-time establishment pick Michelle Shimberg in the District 2 race last November, and […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 23, 2015

The Hillsborough County School Board’s unceremonious dumping of Superintendent MaryEllen Elia reverberates three days after the fact. In today’s Times, Ernest Hooper bemoans the fact that Sally Harris, the swing vote that went against Elia on Tuesday night leading to her ouster, beat big-time establishment pick Michelle Shimberg in the District 2 race last November, and […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 14, 2015

Tampa area Democratic Congresswoman Kathy Castor met on Wednesday with Roberta Jacobson, the U.S Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Next week Jacobson will be part of a U.S. contingent of diplomats that will travel to Havana for two days for talks on migration and normalization of relations with the communist island government. The Congresswoman’s press secretary […]

Mitch PerryJanuary 6, 2015

One of the issues that Bob Buckhorn has said he wants to tackle in his second term is what to do with the 60 million-plus gallons of day of treated waste water that currently is being dumped into Tampa Bay, and has been for years. In November the mayor said that he’s been working with city […]

Mitch PerryDecember 29, 2014

Tis the season for year-end lists, so here’s this reporter’s take on the 10 biggest/most interesting developments over the past year in Tampa Bay/Florida politics. 1 – The Florida Democratic Party hits rock bottom. There are a number of reasons why Rick Scott beat Charlie Crist, and the Crist camp’s notion that the $12 million […]

Mitch PerryNovember 17, 2014

This is my debut column for SaintPetersblog and FloridaPolitics.com, and thanks for being part of it. It’s only been a little over a week since I penned (or more accurately, typed) my last “MPR” for Creative Loafing, but it seems a lot longer than that. It’s certainly been an interesting 10 days or so since […]

Guest AuthorAugust 18, 2014

The sham that is Amendment 2 continues to evolve. The latest iteration is the so-called Blue Ribbon Commission. While there is no doubt that the commission includes quality members, the idea of a self-appointed “commission” is just another example of the arrogance of the amendment proponents. This group has no authority whatsoever, so no one […]

Adam WeinsteinJuly 9, 2014

Perhaps we’re so jaded today that we just assume all politicians are brazen opportunists. But Gov. Rick Scott’s campaign turned the opportunism up to 11 this week, all for a cheap “tough on crime” photo shoot. At a re-election campaign appearance in Tampa Monday, Scott burnished his law enforcement record, complete with a cadre of […]

Tag: Tampa Tribune
Image via AP.

Joey Redner says he's not in discussions with Anheuser Busch InBev

At Tampa presser, Rick Scott avoids responding to question on Medicaid expansion

Mitch Perry Report for 1.23.15 — Popular (if not elite) opinion on MaryEllen Elia’s ouster isn’t monolithic

Mitch Perry Report for 1.23.15 — Popular (if not elite) opinion on MaryEllen Elia's ouster isn't monolithic

Bob Buckhorn neutral about establishing a Cuban consulate in Tampa

Charlie Miranda talks water issues as he contemplates 4 more years on Tampa City Council

A look back at the year in news in Tampa Bay

Mitch Perry Report – 11.17.14

Barney Bishop: Amendment 2: Blue Ribbon Commission is just a kangaroo court

Adam Weinstein: Scott owes an apology to the cops his campaign duped