Central Florida Political Pulse

Roll Call: Putnam scores game winner in congressional baseball game

Mark Matthews — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:29:52 -0400

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, isn’t just the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, apparently he’s a clutch baseball player too, according to an upcoming story in the Capitol Hill publication Roll Call. Here’s the advance report from...

Florida volleyball player headed to the White House

Mark Matthews — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:21:16 -0400

WASHINGTON -- Phil Dalhausser, who attended the University of Central Florida, is scheduled to visit the White House on Monday, one of several Olympic hopefuls set to meet the president, who plans to “wish them good luck as they head...

Crist "concerned" with State Farm rate filing

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:12:48 -0400

Gov. Charlie Crist sent a letter to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty Friday saying he was concerned State Farm's request for a 47.1 percent insurance premium increase could "create a breaking point for the budgets of some of our fellow Floridians."...

Winter Park Keeps Ethics Conversation Going

David Damron — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:33:21 -0400

Winter Park leaders will keep the campaign finance and ethics conversations going with a series of community discussions on the issues in the coming months. It's sure to continue the heated debate that recently wrapped up when Orange County leaders...

Feeney attacks Democratic energy policy in radio address

Mark Matthews — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:08:40 -0400

WASHINGTON -- House Republican leaders tapped U.S. Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Oviedo, to deliver the team’s weekly radio address, and the third-term congressman used the occasion (available here) to attack Democratic energy policies. In particular, Feeney criticized Democratic leaders for blocking...

Obama troops coming to a town near you

Jim Stratton — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:37:06 -0400

Volunteers for Barack Obama will be canvassing all across Florida tomorrow, knocking on doors, talking to voters and trying to register new ones. The effort is part of what the campaign says will be a massive voter outreach program designed...

Appeals judge could be reprimanded by high court

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:12:53 -0400

A judicial panel says Tallahassee appeals court judge Michael Allen should be publicly rebuked before the Florida Supreme Court for a blistering opinion he wrote about a fellow judge for weighing in on the bribery appeal of former state Senate...

The case against Charlie for veep

bshaw — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:56:09 -0400

Two days ago, Chris Cillizza of The Washington Post made the case on his politics blog for Charlie Crist as John McCain's vice-presidential nominee. Today, he makes the case against him. He makes all the obvious points that have been...

Campaign Finance Reform Fight Hits Orange Race

David Damron — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:53:54 -0400

Look for campaign finance reform debates to rage through Orange County’s political season this fall. District 3 commission candidate John Kelly Harris this week accused incumbent Mildred Fernandez of accepting contributions that exceed the $500 limit. See his letter to...

Florida to Crist: We lost 78,000 jobs

Aaron Deslatte — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:23:12 -0400

Florida led the nation with a loss of 78,100 jobs over the last 12 months, with June's 5.5 percent unemployment rate continuing this year's trend of monthly job losses as the hangover from the state's housing construction binge continues to...