Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Tom JacksonSeptember 13, 2016

Whatever else we might be tempted to say in the aftermath of last month’s recent primary election, for those who live and/or work in Pasco County, this, above all, is beyond dispute: Pasco is Mike Fasano’s county. Everyone else is just visiting. Who but Fasano, the nudging, empathetic, perpetually beatifying champion of the “little guy […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 12, 2016

Kathy Mears, who served as chief of staff to two consecutive Florida House speakers, will become the new top in-house lobbyist for Florida State University. Mears, who confirmed her hiring Monday, said she will take the new role of chief legislative affairs officer. She starts Sept. 19. Mears was chief of staff to Republican House […]

Peter SchorschAugust 29, 2016

TALLAHASSEE — Two years after Hillary Clinton became the nation’s first female president, former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham has become the second woman to win a major party’s nomination for Florida governor. Graham, an attorney and daughter of former U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, held off her two Democratic rivals in a spirited primary election. Graham now faces former state House Speaker Will Weatherford in November. […]

Peter SchorschAugust 27, 2016

Top Senate Republicans brought in big hauls through their political committees over the past two weeks, according to newly filed finance reports. Between Aug. 13 and Aug. 25, Fort Myers Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto raised $142,500 through her “Protect Florida Families” committee, including $50,000 checks from Trilby Sen. Wilton Simpson’s “Jobs for Florida” committee and Sen. Bill Galvano’s […]

Peter SchorschAugust 4, 2016

The league of Republicans against Donald Trump may have found another member in Will Weatherford. The former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, a Wesley Chapel Republican, suggested in a text message today that the real estate tycoon-turned-reality TV star won’t get his vote. “Sadly, I find both candidates to be unworthy of the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterAugust 3, 2016

It’s never too early to think about the next election, and a new poll from St. Pete Polls has Floridians doing just that. According to the survey, 54 percent of likely Republican primary voters said Gov. Rick Scott would make a good U.S. Senator. The survey found 16 percent of respondents said they were unsure, […]

Peter SchorschJuly 20, 2016

While Florida’s delegates to the Republican National Convention noshed on a Tuesday morning breakfast fit for a Hubert Mizell column — chicken & waffles, honestly cheesy grits, and cinnamon sticky buns — Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam extolled on the virtues of living under GOP rule in the Sunshine State. “The economy was in the tank, and we had more […]

Mitch PerryJuly 7, 2016

The Rebecca Smith campaign announced Thursday the House District 60 Republican has yet another feather in her cap of support, getting the endorsement of the Greater Tampa Association of REALTORS (GTAR). “With more than three decades of experience in the Tampa Bay area construction industry, GTAR is pleased to endorse Rebecca Smith for the Florida House District […]

Drew WilsonJune 28, 2016

House District 21 candidate Chuck Clemons announced Tuesday he has picked up endorsements from the past three speakers of the Florida House. Former Republican House Speakers Larry Cretul, Dean Cannon and Will Weatherford backed Clemons’ campaign in the Gainesville-based seat currently held by Republican Rep. Keith Perry, who is running for Senate in the newly […]

Jim RosicaJune 2, 2016

Kristen McDonald, who’s been communications director for the Florida House Republicans, is heading to Hill+Knowlton Strategies‘ Tallahassee office. The move was announced Wednesday. She joins another House staffer now there: H+K vice president Ryan Duffy, who was chief spokesman for former House Speaker Will Weatherford in 2012-14. McDonald was communications director for the Office of the Majority […]

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

Tom Jackson: In Pasco, all roads lead to Mike Fasano

Personnel note: Kathy Mears heading to FSU

The story from a primary election day in the not-too-distant future

Republican Senate leaders raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in run up to primary elections

Add Will Weatherford to the #NeverTrump camp?

37% of Florida GOP voters back Mike Huckabee for governor in 2018

Richard Corcoran for Governor in 2018?

Greater Tampa Association of Realtors backing Rebecca Smith in HD 60 race

Chuck Clemons picks up endorsements from past Florida House Speakers

Personnel note: Kristen McDonald headed to H+K