Category Florida History
Florida Turns 500: When the State Almost Fell into Colonial British Hands
Today is the 500th Anniversary of Juan Ponce de León’s landing in Florida. The landing is believed to have been near the Fountain of Youth just north of St Augustine, and for historical purposes we will stick with that even though the landing may have been as far south as present day Brevard County. Today […]
The Most Important Legislative Race in Modern Florida History
With the legislative session in full swing the time is right to look back at what I consider the most important legislative election in past-1968 Florida. At the time it was the most expensive election in Florida legislative history. The first million dollar legislative race on record. It was probably also one of the most […]
The Politics of Oranges
This weekend I took a trip to St. Augustine with the USF chapter of the National Political Science Honor Society. This year is the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon’s landing in Florida. Our faculty advisor, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and über Florida political analyst Dr. Susan MacManus, chose America’s oldest city as […]
Book Review: Reubin O’D. Askew and the Golden Age of Florida Politics
With the Florida Legislature again showing a limited depth and understanding of the state’s problems, I can find no better time than now re-run this book review, originally published at the Political Hurricane last year. Martin Dyckman who covered the Tallahassee scene for the St Petersburg Times from the 1960s until the 1990s, has written […]
Red Claude Pepper & Gorgeous George Smathers: a Parable
Once upon a time in Florida, a wealthy well-connected conservative with little grasp of the issues but outsize support from real estate and commercial interests toppled, for the first time in state history, a sitting U.S. Senator — effective legislator, friend of labor and confidante to FDR Claude Pepper — by using a sly combination […]
Charlie Crist For Governor (Again)?: A History of Populism in Florida
As Charlie Crist weighs another run for Governor, now as a Democrat and Rick Scott changes his positions out of political convenience, let’s take a look back at some of the other populists that have run for or obtained the Governorship in this state. Note that I distinguish populism from mainstream political philosophy by noting […]
