Former boxer Mike Hill is the new representative of House District 2 in Pensacola, becoming the first black Republican elected from the Panhandle in over a century. Sunshine State News has a profile today
With the Democratic field remaining unsettled, Republican Gov. Rick Scott is seeing improvement in his poll numbers — though he still trails former Gov. Charlie Crist by double digits in a potential 2014 election battle. Quinnipiac University on Tuesday released a poll that shows the Republican-turned-Democrat Crist leading Scott by a margin of 47 percent to 37 percent. While that is a significant edge for Crist, it is down from a 16-point margin in a March poll.
More from The News Service of Florida on this story (free trial subscription available)
U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, who replaced scandal-chased Rep. David Rivera, has problems of his own. National Journal reports this morning that former Miami-Dade school board member Carlos Curbello has an eye on the seat now.
National talking head Larry Sabato believes six congressional races in Florida will be at least a littl competitive in 2014. According to Sabato, Rep. Steve Southerland’s District 2 is now less firm for his re-election, noting the entrance of Democrat Gwen Graham into the race. Sabato has Democratic U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy’s seat as a toss-up and several others as leaning toward the incumbent or likely to be retained, as opposed to safe for the incumbent. Sunshine State News, meanwhile this morning, while looking at Sabato’s predictions, has a broader look at how congressional races are shaping up.
“It will be based on my record,” Jeb Bush tells the Christian Broadcasting Network’s Brody File on how he would run for president. ”And that record was one of solving problems from completely from a conservative perspective. I cut taxes every year, I shrunk the size of government.”
Former Gov. Jeb Bush’s parents are split on whether he should run for president, Bush said today on ABC’s This Week
Former Gov. Charlie Crist got a warm reception Saturday from the Democratic Women’s Club of Collier County. The Naples Daily News reported that the Republican-turned-Democrat discussed the need to elect a Democratic governor in 2014 but said he doesn’t know when he will make a decision about a possible run.
“Floridians are smart,” the Daily News quoted Crist as saying. “They know what to do and I think we’re going to have a very, very bright future together.”
Here is a link to the Daily News report.
The Sun-Sentinel’s Anthony Man doesn’t break any new ground here – but it’s a good primer (or refresher) on all the reasons Democrats have had trouble winning in Florida.
Here’s his story on why it’s hard to be a Democrat seeking statewide office in Florida
Rep. Larry Metz, R-Yalaha, appears to be a measured, studious attorney who grapples with tough issues such as tightening expert witness standards in lawsuits.
But to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, he is this year’s Most Valuable Legislator. The chamber’s Board of Directors, joined by House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz, presented the award to Metz on Thursday.
Metz is chairman of the House Civil Justice Subcommittee and sponsored an expert-witness bill that was a top priority of the chamber. The bill — known in the legal and legislative world as the “Daubert” bill — drew heavy opposition from plaintiffs’ attorneys but ultimately passed.
“Rep. Metz received the honor for his unwavering determination and steadfast leadership to remove junk science from the courtroom and improve Florida’s legal climate,” the chamber said in a news release.
Staking out conservative positions in a Republican-dominated district, Pensacola insurance agent Mike Hill cruised to victory Tuesday in a special election to replace the late Rep. Clay Ford. Hill collected nearly 58 percent of the vote, while Democrat Jeremy Lau, a labor-union leader, received about 42 percent. The special election in House District 2, which includes voters in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, came nearly three months after Ford, a Gulf Breeze Republican, died of cancer.
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