Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryAugust 5, 2016

The three candidates running to succeed Ed Narain in the Tampa-based Florida House District 61 seat debated at the Tampa Tiger Bay Club on Friday. While the discourse was amiable, the emphasis on what is needed to improve the economic conditions in East Tampa were expressed with urgency. Small businesswoman and East Tampa activist Dianne Hart has been on a […]

Mitch PerryJuly 22, 2016

East Tampa activist Michelle Patty is upset about a campaign mailer she says infers she’s supporting a candidate that she’s not in the House District 61 race. On the backside of a just-issued mailer paid for by the Florida Retail Federation PAC, Patty is seen standing next to East Tampa businesswoman and activist Dianne Hart, who is running […]

Mitch PerryJuly 19, 2016

Tampa attorney Sean Shaw appears to be the consensus, establishment choice to take the House District 61 seat next month, and he received one of the most important endorsements of his campaign Tuesday when outgoing Senate Minority Leader Arthenia Joyner announced she is backing him. “Sean Shaw is the fighter we need in Tallahassee,” Sen. Joyner said in a statement. […]

Mitch PerryJuly 11, 2016

The race for House District 61 has been rather cordial to date between attorney Sean Shaw, activist and businesswoman Dianne Hart and environmental engineer Walter Smith. That’s a far cry from two years ago, when Shaw engaged in an intense battle with Ed Narain. Shaw accused Narain of being too Republican-friendly, while Narain and his supporters essentially called Shaw a carpetbagger, emphasizing […]

Mitch PerryJuly 7, 2016

Part of qualifying for political office in Florida requires completing a financial disclosure form, which includes listing specific assets and liabilities. In the Florida House District 61 race, however, at first glance, two of the three Democrats running for the seat appear to have filed incomplete reports. House District 61 encompasses downtown Tampa, Ybor City and Seminole […]

Peter SchorschJune 16, 2016

Five months from Election Day, Republican Sens. Jeff Brandes, Jack Latvala, Tom Lee and Bill Galvano are still running unopposed. The only two bay area Senate seats in contention so far are the Senate District 18 contest between Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young and Democrat Bob Buesing and the three-way Democratic primary going down in SD 19. Young had built up quite the lead in her jump to the […]

Mitch PerryJune 1, 2016

Tampa attorney Sean Shaw, running for the House District 61 seat based in Tampa, has received the endorsement of Tampa Firefighters Local 754. “Our first responders put their lives on the line every day,” Shaw said in a statement released on Wednesday. “To have the support of our Tampa Firefighters is truly humbling. I’m honored to […]

Mitch PerryMay 16, 2016

Attorney and former state consumer advocate Sean Shaw has received the endorsement of the Hillsborough County Firefighters in his bid for state House District 61 on Monday. “I’m so honored to have the support of the brave men and women who protect us every day at our fire departments. Their service is a model for all of us,” Shaw […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2016

It came down to, as we all knew it would, to the enigmatic Victor Crist. After more than four hours of discussion and debate, the decision about whether to place the Go Hillsborough half-cent sales tax on the November ballot was deadlocked between the Board of County Commissioners 3-3, which is what we had known […]

Tag: Walter Smith

House District 61 candidates discuss their plans if elected in Tampa Tiger Bay forum

East Tampa activist says mailer in HD 61 indicates she’s supporting a candidate that she isn’t

Arthenia Joyner backs Sean Shaw in HD 61 race

HD 61 candidate Sean Shaw on guns, working with the GOP, and getting ‘The Talk’

HD 61 candidates Dianne Hart and Walter Smith address their financial disclosure forms

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay legislative races

Tampa Firefighters union backs Sean Shaw in HD 61 race

Sean Shaw picks up Hillsborough Firefighters endorsement in HD 61 bid

Mitch Perry Report for 4.28.16 – Go Hillsborough goes down. Now what?