Topic: Senate Races

Gov. Rick Scott opened the 2014 legislative session by telling lawmakers that the state has recovered from the recession but that "we have more work left to do." While he spoke more than a hundred protesters filled the rotunda separating the House and Senate chambers.

During the January 2014 campaign finance reporting period, Gov. Rick Scott led the pack in contributions with $734,000 to his campaign and $3.4 million to his PAC. Incumbent Cabinet members also had impressive hauls. Read more ...

The NAACP and the incoming leader of House Democrats call the attempt to purge non-citizens from voter registration rolls either a "fool's errand" or a malicious attempt to suppress minority turnout.

Latvala-Rodrigues bill means members must really live in their districts. It proposes criteria for legally proving whether an elected officer is dodging residency requirements.

Political junkies who focus on Florida anticipate this type of year. As the governor, Cabinet, all eligible state House members and half the Senate make their cases to stay in office, their opposition will pitch how they'd do a better job. It will be a year of promises and debate, mudslinging and outrage, and likely stratospheric sums spent on campaigns. So here's a look at the Sunshine State's political calendar for the coming year.

League of Women Voters, which is involved in a lawsuit against the Legislature on the issue, expresses skepticism about legislative leaders' explanations. House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, denies that legislative leaders "thwarted the law and destroyed documents." ... Related Research: Dec. 18, 2013 Statement by House Speaker Will Weatherford, and Dec. 18, 2013 Statement by League of Women Voters of Florida.

Eleven months out from the November 2014 elections, incumbents are padding their campaign accounts, but Republicans looking to retake seats lost in the 2012 election cycle posted impressive cash hauls last month.

A reader poll indicates that how Gov. Rick Scott and the state Republican leadership have handled Obamacare influenced how readers will vote in next year's elections.

The disillusionment among big businesses and traditional GOP donors with the tea party wing of the Republican Party in Congress, which nearly brought on a default of the U.S. government, could lead to more donations to state-level campaigns. But that doesn't mean Democrats will benefit, or that Republican control of the Florida government will erode.

Controversial items such as Medicaid expansion or alternative plans, more tort reform measures and a move to a defined contribution pension system will be pushed by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and legislative leaders despite the election year, when lawmakers are seen to become more skittish.

Sen. Anitere Flores' proposal would start the Legislature's sessions in January in even-numbered years.

GOP consultants want to keep their strategies secret. The legal challenge brought by the League of Women Voters of Florida and other plaintiffs suspects they will show the GOP conspired to rig the realigned districts to favor their incumbents.

The Republican Party of Florida's quarterly meeting centered on pushing a positive message of economic recovery under Gov. Rick Scott to people beyond its traditional voter base, but also on data mining and targeting more voters through an aggressive ground game in 2014.

Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam's first campaign report showed he has raised nearly $600,000 since mid-April. Campaign finance reports for the second quarter were due Wednesday for candidates, and most incumbents have an early edge over opponents -- if they have opponents at all more than a year away from the mid-term elections. ... Related Research: 2014 General Election Candidate Campaign Finance Activity reports.