Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Drew WilsonMay 10, 2018

Hialeah Republican Rep. Manny Diaz Jr. is holding a fundraiser May 15 in Coral Gables for his bid to succeed termed-out Sen. Rene Garcia in Senate District 36. The campaign fundraiser will be held at The Aragon Room of The Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave., starting at 5 p.m. Would-be attendees can send the campaign […]

Drew WilsonApril 11, 2018

Newly filed campaign finance reports show Republican Sens. Dennis Baxley, Debbie Mayfield and Kathleen Passidomo each raised more than $45,000 for their re-election campaigns last month. Baxley, who represents Senate District 12, brought in $47,500 for his campaign in March, including 44 checks for the maximum campaign contribution of $1,000. His committee, Floridians for a […]

Danny McAuliffeApril 5, 2018

The grades are in, and from the perspective of those pushing for a more fertile business climate in the Sunshine State, the Legislature is getting better — but there’s still work to be done. Each year the Florida Chamber grades state legislators after tabulating votes on measures backed by the pro-business group. The 2018 Legislative […]

Peter SchorschMarch 11, 2018

Nobody expected a tragedy like Parkland to suck all the oxygen out of the Legislature’s 2018 Regular Session. Lobbyists were left scrambling to save their clients’ priorities as lawmakers hustled to rejigger the budget to accommodate hundreds of millions of dollars for school safety and mental health initiatives. Some survived, many did not; although that’s […]

Jim RosicaMarch 3, 2018

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A win turned into a loss Saturday, as the Republican-controlled Senate first approved—then killed—an amendment on a school safety bill that would have mandated a moratorium on assault rifle sales in the state. The legislation, called the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” (SB 7026), is in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 28, 2018

Dana Young, a Tampa Republican, says she won’t be pursuing the presidency of the Florida Senate. “As I’m completing my second session in the Senate, I’ve realized the commitment of pursuing and ultimately serving as presiding officer requires more time than I am willing to spend away from my family and my constituents,” she said […]

Drew WilsonFebruary 26, 2018

Sarasota Republican Sen. Greg Steube announced Monday that he will run for Florida’s 17th Congressional District. “I’m running because Washington is broken; it needs to serve the people it was intended to serve, Floridians; rather than special interests in DC,” Steube said in an email. “My entire adult life has been about service, I enlisted […]

Phil AmmannFebruary 20, 2018

In what may be shaping up as the political “Year of the Woman,” Josie Tomkow has won the Republican primary for House District 39, which opened up over Thanksgiving with the departure of Neil Combee. Tomkow, a 22-year-old University of Florida student, took a decisive 65 percent of the vote to become her party’s nominee for […]

Mitch PerryFebruary 20, 2018

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A controversial omnibus education bill made its first appearance Tuesday in the Florida Senate, where Port Orange Republican Dorothy Hukill unveiled a strike-all amendment to the legislation before the Education Committee. The bill (HB 7055) ultimately was approved, although without a provision that organized labor said was designed to gut the state’s “right to work” laws. The Senate bill […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 15, 2018

As the country grapples with the aftermath of a high school mass shooting in Broward County, Senate President Joe Negron said Thursday the upper chamber will be focused on boosting funding for mental health and campus security — not gun control. “I think that the key for me — and what I am focusing on […]

Tag: Wilton Simpson

Manny Diaz holding SD 36 fundraiser next week

Three Senate Republicans raise $45K+ in March

Honor roll: State legislators receive high marks from Florida Chamber

Winners and losers emerging from the 2018 Legislative Session

GOP blocks Democratic attempts to change school safety bill

Dana Young withdraws from race for Senate President

Greg Steube is running for Congress; seeks seat being vacated by Tom Rooney

Josie Tomkow KOs Jennifer Spath in HD 39 special primary election

Senate panel clears contentious omnibus education bill

In wake of Parkland shooting, Senate focuses on mental health funding