About that proposed open congressional seat in Pasco County? It lasted about a week. Florida’s House Redistricting Committee switched gears Friday, approving a new congressional map that shifts the state’s 12th District farther west. “This map has big political ramifications for Pasco County,” Rep. John Legg said. “To my disappointment, the map includes north Pinellas [...]

Well, the circus has left town. With the GOP primary over, the presidential campaigns and the national media have moved onto the next state.  So it’s back to local politics for a moment.  And here’s where shit stands. – St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster chatted me up last week after asking “Should I really read [...]

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced one reappointment and two appointments to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council: Barbara Sheen-Todd, 69, of St. Petersburg, is a retired Pinellas County Commissioner. She is reappointed for a term beginning January 27, 2012, and ending October 1, 2013. Timothy E. Schock, 38, of Tampa, is a vice president of [...]

Dan Raulerson is starting his campaign to replace fellow Republican Rich Glorioso in the Florida House in the city Raulerson represents: Plant City. Raulerson, elected to the Plant City Commission in 2007 and in the middle of a one-year term as mayor, is devoting Saturdays to canvassing Glorioso’s district, starting in neighborhoods certain to remain [...]

So here is what Tampa Bay’s State House seats will look like under a plan passed by the Florida House on Friday. The map must still receive approval from the entire membership of the Florida House of Representatives.  The Florida Senate would also have to concur on the State House map, although the State Senate map [...]

Florida Sen. Jim “Smooth Sailin’ ” Norman just got a real live Republican opponent, which is either cause for optimism or more of the same old cynicism. John Korsak, a Republican Party activist who works as a homeland security consultant and lives in Lutz, is running to “restore the public’s trust in government.” He says [...]

Today, Governor Rick Scott announced the appointments of Antonius M. DeSisto and Dr. Wayne W. Kearney to the Florida State Boxing Commission. DeSisto, 27, of Tampa, is a self-employed attorney. He succeeds Dr. Melody Jurado and is appointed for a term beginning January 27, 2012, and ending September 30, 2015. Kearney, 64, of Indian Harbour [...]

Paul Morrell is named deputy communications director of the 2012 Republican National Convention. He’ll work under Communications Director James Davis, who started in October. Morrell spent more than 20 years on Capitol Hill, where his bosses included House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Following Armey’s retirement from Congress, Morrell worked as deputy chief of staff for Energy [...]

Monday night’s Republican presidential candidates debate at the University of South Florida is expected to draw protesters from across the political spectrum. Making its public debut, for example, will be a coalition of organized labor, student radicals and anti-war activists that has issued a nationwide call for a march on the first day of the [...]

Campaign treasurers’ reports for the last quarter of 2011 were due on Tuesday, so we’re now able to get a look at who raised how much for their local campaign.  Taking a look at these reports, courtesy of this handy summary from On 3 PR, here’s what I’m seeing: In the race to succeed Mike [...]