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25 Most Powerful Politicians in Tampa Bay - page 2

#7 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Rick Kriseman

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Rick Kriseman, the 54-year-old Detroit native, is feeling confident as he runs for re-election this fall, even though polls show that a November confrontation with former Mayor Rick Baker could go either way. But Team Kriseman thinks that “The Sunshine City” is much different place than the last decade, and that his progressive agenda is more in tune with a community that continues to flourish. “Only the most cynical of partisans wouldn’t agree that St. Pete’s continuing renaissance and bright…

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The end for SaintPetersBlog

Ever since I acquired the rights to the perfect domain for my efforts — FloridaPolitics.com — I knew that one

#8 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Kathy Castor

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Tampa Democrat Kathy Castor has now been in Washington for a decade, but Hillary Clinton’s loss in November to Donald Trump definitely hurt her ability to change policy in Washington. That’s because this is the first time since she was elected in 2006 that she is in a party that neither controls the House of Representatives or the White House, prompting rumors that she was considering a run for Tampa mayor in 2019 (at press time, Castor declined to respond to…

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#9 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Chris Sprowls

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Chris Sprowls, the 33-year-old Palm Harbor attorney, easily defeated Democrat Bernie Fensterwald in November to win his second term in office, and he remains a strong contender to lead the House in the 2021-2022 Sessions, increasing his clout in the Capital. In 2017, Sprowls and fellow Republican state Rep. Jamie Grant were the driving force behind the landmark ride-sharing legislation passed in the House. The law, recently signed by Gov. Rick Scott, creates statewide regulations for ride-booking companies like Uber…

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#10 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Tom Lee

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Brandon-based state Sen. Tom Lee enjoys a solid reputation on both sides of the aisle, while speculation about his political future continues to be fodder for local political junkies. The 55-year-old Republican flirted with ditching Tallahassee for the Hillsborough County Commission last year after redistricting eliminated his Senate District 16 seat. Instead, he ran for the newly drawn and uncontested District 20 seat. Lee has an extensive amount of experience in the Legislature, having initially served in the Senate from…

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#11 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Darryl Rouson

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St. Petersburg-based Democrat Darryl Rouson barely advanced from the House to the Senate last year, defeating former state Rep. Ed Narain in the Hillsborough County-centric Senate District 19 race by just 75 votes. Rouson proposed 31 bills before the session began, and as someone who has been known to work well with Republicans (sometimes too well, for some Democrats’ tastes) was listed as a co-sponsor on 20 other bills, many introduced by GOP members. A pioneer of sorts, Rouson became…

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#12 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Dana Young

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South Tampa resident Dana Young survived a brutal 2016 election against Democrat Bob Buesing and independent Joe Redner to get elected to the state Senate after six years in the House. “Dana Young is one of the most productive members of the Florida Legislature,” says lobbyist and Democratic fundraiser Justin Day. “She has never shied away from taking on an important or difficult issue to her constituents. Those of us who are lucky enough to call her our Senator, should rest easy…

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#13 on list of Tampa Bay’s Most Powerful Politicians — Charlie Crist

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Charlie Crist, the 60-year-old former Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat, returned to public office earlier this year, after defeating incumbent David Jolly in a bitter contest for Congress in Florida’s 13th Congressional District. In serving in Washington for the first time after a lifetime in Florida politics, the St. Petersburg native had a rocky transition to working in Washington. Crist missed one of his first votes, condemning the United Nations for a resolution perceived to be anti-Israel. A few weeks later his head of…

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