Democrat Chris Cause of Davenport, who teaches history for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Regional Detention Center, has filed to run in November’s election for the District 39 Florida House seat now held by Josie Tomkow, R-Polk City. The largely rural district includes much of Polk just north and east of Lakeland city limits.
A recent City Commission decision to keep two controversial changes to Lakeland’s city charter off this fall’s election ballot could discourage citizens from participating on city boards, two commissioners said today. More
The five candidates in the November election for an open at-large Lakeland City Commission seat have raised almost $50,000, and campaign finance reports show a close split between the two most well-connected candidates. More
Jiwa Farrell, 41, has filed to run against City Commissioner Bill Read, ensuring that there will be at least two races on the Nov. 5 city ballot. In the other race, five people are seeking to replace Justin Troller, who has reached term limits. Commissioner Phillip Walker has no opposition so far. More
With the Democratic Party pledging to put more support behind its candidate for Florida’s District 15 seat in 2020, Kristen Carlson and Andrew Learned both say they are considering another shot at the seat that was won by Republican Ross Spano of Dover last November.
A plan to reduce the number of polling places for November’s city elections appears doomed. The proposal got no support from city commissioners today in informal discussions before they take a formal vote on Monday. More
Kelli Stargel, a Republican state senator from Lakeland, has filed a bill requiring consent from parents or guardians for minors seeking an abortion. The current law requires notification, but not consent.
Ross Spano, the newly elected Republican congressman representing much of Lakeland, is looking ahead to 2020, filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. Complaints about loans to his 2018 campaign have been filed with that body.
In complaints filed with the Federal Elections Commission, Jan Barrow, president of the Democratic Women’s Club of Lakeland, alleges newly elected Republican U.S. Rep. Ross Spano and two of his associates violated election laws last year. Personal loans made to Spano by the two associates were converted to loans Spano made to his campaign, and that violated campaign limits, she alleges.
Sara Roberts McCarley was elected to a nearly-three-year-term on the Lakeland City Commission, capturing 74.2 percent of the vote in today’s three-candidate special election.
She will represent southwest Lakeland on the seven-member board, serving out the term that was vacated when former Commissioner Michael Dunn resigned in October. More
