Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Larry GriffinMay 26, 2016

At the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kissimmee, trained scientists will work this summer to stop the spread of the Zika virus before it becomes a problem in Florida. At a news event Thursday morning, Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam said no Zika cases have originated in Florida yet. Although there are currently 158 cases of […]

Associated PressMay 26, 2016

Florida has received less than half of the special traps it has ordered to help detect the Zika virus in mosquitoes, and nationwide the only U.S. distributor of the traps has a backlog of almost 1,950 orders from governments and private businesses, officials said Thursday. State workers in Florida had ordered more than 300 of […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 26, 2016

Carlos Lopez-Cantera’s campaign is slamming two Florida Democrats over their no votes on the Zika Vector Control Act. In a memo Thursday, Courtney Alexander, a spokeswoman for the lieutenant governor’s U.S. Senate campaign, slammed Democrats Alan Grayson and Patrick Murphy over their decision to vote against the proposal. Both congressmen are battling it out for their […]

Guest AuthorMay 25, 2016

Part of my job at Sachs Media Group is running data experiments that nobody has asked us to run, for the simple pleasure of satisfying curiosity and the attempt to better understand what kinds of things matter to people. Our themes generally relate back to the space of communications or politics. For example: does reading […]

Mitch PerryMay 24, 2016

When it comes to pushing for Congress to allocate the $1.9 billion request to handle the Zika crisis, Barack Obama has no greater advocate in Congress than Sarasota Representative Vern Buchanan. The GOP lawmaker penned a letter to congressional leaders on Tuesday, urging them to listen to the medical experts and appoint a conference committee […]

Associated PressMay 24, 2016

A summer flu seemed to be sweeping through Rachel Heid‘s riverfront neighborhood. Pale and shaky, she left work with a fever. Neighbors had the same symptoms, and a contractor at her home felt so sick he went to the hospital. Heid thought the neighborhood children were passing a bug around their circle. She never suspected […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMay 23, 2016

With less than 75 days until the Summer Olympics, Sen. Bill Nelson wants to make sure the United States Olympic Committee is prepared to protect its athletes from the spread of Zika. The Florida Democrat was one of 10 senators who signed a letter sent to the chairman of the United States Olympic Committee on […]

Peter SchorschMay 23, 2016

Zika woes have caused a spike in bug spray sales, according to online shopping statistics from New York-based 1010data. The data show online insect repellent sales were up 323 percent during the three-month period ending in April compared to the same three months in 2015. In dollar amounts, the growth comes out to a total sales […]

Associated PressMay 23, 2016

Beg, borrow and steal: Zika preparation involves a bit of all three as federal, state and local health officials try to get a jump on the mosquito-borne virus while Congress haggles over how much money they really need. With that financing in limbo, health officials are shifting resources and setting priorities — and not just […]

Peter SchorschMay 18, 2016

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan said today he will oppose House legislation that contains “inadequate” funding to address the growing threat posed by the Zika virus. “The funding in this bill is far less than what the Centers for Disease Control said is needed to confront the Zika threat,” Buchanan said. “The lives of thousands of infants are […]

Tag: Zika
U.S. Vice President JD Vance meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican on Easter Sunday. Image via the Associated Press.

Adam Putnam talks about traps for mosquitoes to test for Zika virus

Nationwide backlog of traps to detect Zika virus

Carlos Lopez-Cantera campaign takes aim at Alan Grayson, Patrick Murphy over Zika vote

Meme-ification of reason (and politics) – an experiment

Vern Buchanan wants Congress to quickly fund President Obama $1.9 billion request for Zika

As Zika spreads, Florida town a study in bug-borne illness

Bill Nelson asks U.S. Olympic Committee how it’s preparing for spread of Zika

Zika concerns fuel spike in bug spray sales, new report shows

Trying to get jump on Zika preparations with money in limbo

Vern Buchanan says he will oppose ‘inadequate’ Zika funding bill