Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Phil AmmannMarch 30, 2018

Saying “sweat equity” was simply not enough, Randy Cooper is exiting the race for Manatee County’s House District 71. “I started running for this seat a year ago and have put my heart, soul, and a lot of sweat equity in this campaign but have to admit that it just was not enough,” Cooper, a […]

Mitch PerryJuly 16, 2017

Randy Cooper likes to think of himself as a pragmatist. The 60-year-old Democrat is one of three candidates running to succeed Republican Jim Boyd in Florida House District 71, which encompasses much of Manatee County and a bit of North Sarasota County. He says his political philosophy could be labeled “practical and pragmatic,” and says the […]

Staff ReportsMay 11, 2017

Contributions for candidates in the race to replace House District 71’s Jim Boyd topped $115,000 for April. Will Robinson, a Bradenton Republican, bested Sarasota Republican James Buchanan for the month, pulling in a whopping $97,600 to Buchanan’s $15,300, records show. And Bradenton Democrat Randy Cooper put up $2,210. Boyd, a Bradenton Republican, is term-limited, having been first […]

Drew WilsonApril 5, 2017

House District 71 candidate James Buchanan brought in a monstrous $138,000 haul in his first month in the race to replace termed-out Republican Rep. Jim Boyd. Buchanan’s campaign says more than four-fifths of that money came from inside the district, which covers parts of Manatee and Sarasota counties. “One month into our campaign and the […]

Staff ReportsMarch 27, 2017

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next election cycle, and a host of legislative hopefuls are already thinking about the next election cycle. State election records show dozens of members of the House, Senate, and other legislative hopefuls have filed to run in 2018. Rep. Shevrin Jones filed to run for re-election […]

Mitch PerryMarch 4, 2017

James Buchanan, the son of Sarasota area Republican Congressman Vern Buchanan, has filed to run for the House District 71 seat in 2018. The 35-year-old is the founder of James Buchanan Realty, which specializes in residential, luxury, waterfront, condominiums, commercial, and land real estate. “I’m running because as a small business owner with deep roots in our community, I […]

Tag: Will Robinson
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Randy Cooper exits HD 71 race, will support Tracy Pratt

‘Pragmatic’ civil engineer Randy Cooper vies for HD 71 seat in Manatee County

Race to replace Jim Boyd gins up big numbers

James Buchanan hauls $138K in first month of HD 71 campaign

More legislative hopefuls file to run in 2018

James Buchanan – son of Vern – launches campaign for House District 71