Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Mitch PerryApril 29, 2016

Good morning, y’all. Regular readers of this column may note that it’s being posted a little later this morning. Not to get into Too Much Information, but let’s just say I think when I read Arianna Huffington write that you must have 7/8 hours a sleep every night, well, one can certainly aspire to that. Rumor has […]

Mitch PerryApril 28, 2016

Wengay Newton has received a strong endorsement from Pinellas County School Board member Rene Flowers in his bid for the House District 70 race. “Wengay Newton understands that he has an uphill mountain to climb,” Flowers concludes in a full-page statement backing the former St. Petersburg City Councilman, who represented South St. Pete from 2007-2015. “However, if there were […]

Peter SchorschApril 14, 2016

Three of the five Senate races in Hillsborough or Pinellas County feature an incumbent running without opposition. In a fourth race – the one for Senate District 18 – Tampa Republican Rep. Dana Young has no challenger yet, although a Democrat is expected to file next week. As of April, SD 19 is the only Bay area seat with […]

Devon CrumpackerApril 13, 2016

Wengay Newton didn’t shy away from discussing his Tallahassee plans during an April 12 reception for his House District 70 campaign. “I want to try and promote good legislation,” the former St. Petersburg City Councilman said in his opening remarks. “And any bad legislation, I want to try and get that amended.” From there he went […]

Drew WilsonOctober 12, 2015

Republican activist and perpetual candidate Sharon Russ has filed to run for the heavily Democratic House District 70 seat held by termed-out Rep. Daryl Rouson. Russ is no stranger to politics, at least in the Pinellas County portion of the district: She ran for St. Petersburg mayor in 2009 and challenged Karl Nurse for city […]

Phil AmmannMay 12, 2015

Voting in Florida state races is now just under 18 months away, with a June special session and the 2016 Regular Session thrown in for good measure. Nevertheless, political campaigns statewide are starting to gear up, as the campaign cash begins to flow in earnest. Here’s where things stand through April 30 in fundraising races […]

Mitch PerryMay 6, 2015

According to a story by Waveney Ann Moore in Wednesday’s Tampa Bay Times, it’s looking good for advocates of Pier Park to be the chosen design to finally replace the aging iconic inverted Pier in downtown St. Petersburg. “I’ve had more calls in support of Pier Park than anything,” City Councilman Darden Rice says. “It […]

Mitch PerryDecember 11, 2014

Today’s St. Petersburg City Council meeting will be like every other meeting on the second Thursday of the month after all. There will be some public commendations offered, and the public won’t be permitted to give comments. That’s because Mayor Rick Kriseman smartly opted yesterday afternoon to delay the vote on the deal to allow […]

Mitch PerryDecember 4, 2014

One of the few tangible (if not necessarily positive) events with nearly universal appeal that came out of the entire Michael Brown tragedy was the call for body cameras on police officers. Local police departments in the Tampa Bay area are about to start pilot programs with the cameras. And yesterday Gulfport Police Chief Robert […]

Mitch PerryDecember 4, 2014

He’s used to often being in the minority on the City Council, so it won’t be a shock for him to be a Democratic House member in Tallahassee. Today St. Petersburg City Councilman Wengay Newton declared he’ll be a candidate for House District 70 in 2015, the seat currently occupied by Darryl Rouson, who won […]

Tag: Wengay Newton

Mitch Perry Report for 4.29.16 – Trib frowns on Go Hillsborough vote

Rene Flowers strongly backing Wengay Newton in HD 70 race

Where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay’s 2016 legislative races

Wengay Newton touches on Tallahassee plans in HD 70 campaign

Perennial GOP candidate Sharon Russ files in HD 70 race

Where fundraising races stand in Tampa Bay area 2016 contests

Mitch Perry Report for 5.6.15 — St. Pete Pier politics, part 23

Mitch Perry Report for 12.11.14 – Rick Kriseman makes the right call

Mitch Perry Report for 12.4.14 – Body cameras still the answer?

Wengay Newton files to run for Darryl Rouson’s HD 70 seat