by Steve Bousquet TALLAHASSEE — The 2015 session of the Florida Legislature begins Tuesday here with new leaders facing fresh challenges and competing demands for a projected $1 billion budget surplus. Gov. Rick Scott ceremonially starts the session Tuesday when he delivers the annual State of the State speech to lawmakers. The 60-day session is scheduled…
Does a candidate having “party backing” actually have financial and political support from their party? No, not exactly. The political parties may seem like monolithic blocks on paper, but in practice they are not. Each party has a division which is run by legislative leaders. Their task is to help members of their party win…
HD 13 – General Election on 2/17/15 Reggie Fullwood (D): $171,530. Won General Election. John Gaffney (D): $44,850.20. Defeated in Primary. Jeff Jefferson (R): $9,390. Defeated in General. HD 17 – Primary on 1/27/15, General on 4/7/15 John R. “Jack” Capra (R): $28,600 (+$12,000 loan) Defeated Michael Alan Davis (R): $134,410 (+$22,100 loan) Defeated…
The Tampa Bay Times, Miami Herald and other major news sources reported on Senate President Andy Gardiner’s top legislative priorities, including: Medicaid, the environment, claims bills against state or local government, medical marijuana, gambling and pension reform. Regarding the environment, the Times reported that hearings will be conducted on Amendment 1 and how best to…
Word on the street is that Frank Terraferma has left his post as RPOF House Campaigns guru and Faron Boggs has replaced him in overseeing the campaign operation (Mat Bahl will have the title of Chief of Staff). Terraferma is one of the longest serving RPOF staffers in history. He began his tenure in the…
Jamie Grant faces a write-in candidate in the April 21, 2015 general election and will be, unless lightning strikes, returning to the Florida House of Representatives. His primary opponent Miriam Steinberg refused to pay the qualifying fee – arguing that her qualifying fee paid in the general election, which was the subject of a lawsuit…
This race saw the involvement of John Kirtley’s school voucher movement and a rare loss for their team. Their goal is to pass laws allowing parents to place their child in a private school using public money. When they engage, they almost always win. Traditionally, school vouchers are an issue fought out only in Republican…
Rep. Reggie Fullwood easily cruised to victory in the House District 13 special election. He won 63.7% of the vote in the primary election and 57% in the general election. The Florida Democratic Party openly supported Fullwood in the primary. He easily swept the general against Jeff Jefferson, an unknown, underfunded Republican candidate. The Republican…