Author

Mitch Perry

Mitch Perry

Mitch Perry has covered politics and government in Florida for more than two decades. Most recently he is the former politics reporter for Bay News 9. He has also worked at Florida Politics, Creative Loafing and WMNF Radio in Tampa. He was also part of the original staff when the Florida Phoenix was created in 2018.

Florida Phoenix

Gwen Graham has already consulted attorney in potential Florida Supreme Court battle

By: - July 16, 2018

President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court has interjected the power of the federal judiciary into Florida’s governor’s race, and the state judiciary as well. His likely confirmation to the high court has opened up the explosive possibility of the Roe v. Wade decision on legalizing abortion being overturned, and some […]

Florida Phoenix

National Democratic committee says it will spend millions to try to flip Florida Senate this fall

By: - July 13, 2018

Florida Democrats hoping to start a “blue wave” by getting a Democratic majority in the state Senate during this fall’s elections got a significant financial boost today. The prospect of changing the Florida Senate from Republican majority to a Democratic one is a long shot – Democrats have been in the minority for more than […]

People at poduim

Florida activists speak out against Trump Supreme Court nominee

By: - July 13, 2018

Progressive activists on Thursday gathered outside the Florida Supreme Court and called on Florida U.S. Senators Bill Nelson and Marco Rubio to reject President Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that the jurist would be detrimental to reproductive rights and health care in America. “Make no mistake about it. The […]

Florida Phoenix

Kathy Castor blasts Trump ‘sabotage’ of consumer help for Affordable Health Care Act

By: - July 12, 2018

Since healthcare.gov went live in the fall of 2013, no state in the union has had more people sign up for the Affordable Care Act than Florida, which is one reason why Tampa Democratic U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor was livid this week while talking about the Trump administration’s decision to slash funding by 70 percent […]

marijuana plant

“Unless we get our friggin’ medicine, we’re not going to be able to get well and stay well.”

By: - July 12, 2018

Marijuana activists called on Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Wednesday to drop the state’s challenges over two lawsuits related to medical marijuana. The 2016 constitutional amendment legalizing pot for medical purposes has faced multiple challenges to implementation — but activists are not giving up. “Unless we get our friggin’ medicine, we’re not going to be […]

Picture of GMO labels for food

What’s in our food? Florida congressman calls federal GMO labeling plan “grossly inadequate.”

By: - July 11, 2018

U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan announced this week that he has filed a formal objection letter with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, calling its food labeling plan for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) “grossly inadequate.” “As you work to issue a final rule later this year, I would urge you to go back to the drawing board […]

No scheduled public debates among candidates for Florida’s top legal job? That’s weird.

By: - July 10, 2018

It’s July already, and polls say most people don’t yet know who they will vote for in the August 28 Republican primary for Florida Attorney General – the state’s top legal job. Anyone looking to learn more about the two Republicans and two Democrats vying for Attorney General through a public debate is out of […]

Confederate monument in St Augustine

Update: St Augustine votes for Confederate monument with “context”

By: - July 9, 2018

Update: The St. Augustine City Commission voted 4-1 on Monday evening to advance the recommendation by a local committee to add “context” to the city’s controversial Confederate monument and keep it standing, despite recent protests. Before voting on the matter, the city commission heard from the public for more than two hours, with supporters of […]

Adjunct professors want respect – and unions

By: - July 9, 2018

While organized labor in America may be on the ropes following a decision against unions in the U.S. Supreme Court last week, don’t tell that to adjunct professors up and down the Sunshine State, who have been pushing for and acquiring union representation in the past couple of years. Adjuncts are generally described as part-time […]

Can we trust polls these days?

By: - July 9, 2018

According to the most recent polling in Florida, it’s looking like we could have an Adam Putnam-Philip Levine showdown in November on who will become the next governor. But when it comes to polls, should we trust the most recent public opinion surveys when others earlier this year had different candidates leading –  Ron DeSantis […]

Is Florida GOP’s tough talk on immigration a winning ticket in November?

By: - July 6, 2018

Last Saturday in cities throughout Florida, thousands of people gathered to denounce the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy on illegal immigration which has resulted in more than 2,000 migrant children being separated from their families when attempting to cross the Mexican border into the U.S. But with the controversy exploding all over the nation, the […]

Financial Help for South Florida School Shooting Survivors

By: - July 5, 2018

The families of the 17 victims killed on Valentine’s Day at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland will soon receive $400,000 in contributions raised through a GoFundMe campaign by the Broward Education Foundation’s steering committee. The steering committee was led by former U.S. Senator George LeMieux. Nearly 450 students who were inside the building […]