Fresh Squeezed Politics

Planned Parenthood: Polls show Catholics, voters favor contraception coverage

2012-02-07T15:10:34-05:00

Planned Parenthood today went on a public relations offensive over the issue of a federal requirement for health insurance plans to cover contraception, sponsoring one poll and publicizing another that it says show voters, including Catholics, favor the coverage.

A poll done for Planned Parenthood by Public Policy Polling indicates…

Weatherford denies any attempt to undermine West

2012-02-07T12:11:14-05:00

House redistricting Chairman Will Weatherford today denied there was any attempt in the state Legislature to undermine U.S. Rep. Allen West, as West contended in a news release last week.

“I’m a huge supporter of Allen West—he has hit conservative icon status very quickly,” said Weatherford, a Wesley Chapel Republican…

Michelle Obama to tour Florida for healthy eating

2012-02-07T11:46:44-05:00

First Lady Michelle Obama will make stops in Homewood, Orlando and Longwood Friday and Saturday as part of a tour on the two-year anniversary of her Let’s Move! healthy eating initiative.

The initiative, begun in February 2010, is intended to solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation.

On…

White House comes to Tampa for Hispanic outreach

2012-02-02T11:11:07-05:00

President Barack Obama’s attempts to connect with Hispanic voters, who were partly responsible for his election in 2008, will come to Tampa Friday.

The White House will hold an Hispanic Community Action Summit at the University of Tampa, including “senior administration officials,” to discuss issues with Hispanic community leaders, according…

Hasner announces campaign switch

2012-02-01T17:53:25-05:00

Adam Hasner has made it official, announcing he’ll leave the U.S. Senate race and run for the U.S. House from the 22nd District instead.

Hasner’s move is the result of a series of falling dominoes involving U.S. Reps. Allen West and Tom Rooney.

West, who currently represents District 22—even though…

Oops! Burgin leaves ALEC fingerprint on bill

2012-02-01T16:32:45-05:00

Most legislators aren’t eager to have it known when their legislative initiatives are dictated by an outside group, including the American Legislative Exchange Council, a well-funded, conservative business advocacy group.

ALEC courts state lawmakers with deluxe conferences and seeks to get conservative legislation passed in state legislatures around the country.

…

Q poll: Gingrich surging in Fla since SC primary

2012-01-25T10:49:32-05:00

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Newt Gingrich in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney among Republican voters in Florida, all but wiping out Romney’s former 12-point lead.

The numbers: Romney, 36 percent, Gingrich 34 percent, Rick Santorum 13 percent, Ron Paul 10 percent, someone else/don’t know, 8 percent. That’s…

Chamber poll: Gingrich, Romney tied

2012-01-24T16:11:56-05:00

A new poll by the Florida Chamber of Commerce shows Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in a tie among Florida voters in the primary race, with Rick Santorum and Ron Paul a distant third and fourth.

The numbers: Romney, 33.1 percent; Gingrich, 32.9 percent; Santorum 10.3 percent and Ron Paul,…

PPP shows Gingrich up 5 points

2012-01-23T20:46:37-05:00

A Public Policy Polling survey shows Newt Gingrich with a five-point lead over Mitt Romney among Florida Republicans, with 38 percent to Romney’s 35 percent.

That’s a 12-point gain for Gingrich from PPP’s last poll in Florida a week ago.

Pollster Tom Jensen said other good news for Gingrich in…

Dems: It’s Romney’s to lose

2012-01-23T15:13:53-05:00

Mitt Romney clearly is worried about the surging Newt Gingrich, but U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston—who’s also chairman of the national Democratic Party—feels pretty sure Romney is the man President Barack Obama will face in November.

In a news conference call with reporters Saturday, Wasserman Schultz spent nearly…