Death of woman after placement in ‘bed cage’ highlights controversial medical practice

Family members say a Sarasota hospital enclosed a 97-year-old Florida woman who served as one of the inspirations for the “Rosie the Riveter” campaign during World War II in a “bed cage,” a controversial restraint procedure the woman’s family says led to her death shortly thereafter.

Scott wins governor’s race

In the end, Rick Scott was able to shake the stigma of his controversial business background and convince voters to elect him as the state’s new governor over Democrat Alex Sink.

West defeats Klein

It was perhaps the nastiest, most personal fight in the state this season, and clearly one of the most expensive.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, a Democrat, fought hard to stave off tea party favorite Republican Allen West during a brutal campaign in which each side attacked the other with personal insults, character assassinations, even alleged threats of personal violence.

Bondi wins attorney general race

According to the Associated Press, Pam Bondi has won the race to become Florida’s attorney general Tuesday, taking 56 percent of the vote in a fiercely fought campaign that pitted two former prosecutors against each other for an office where several high-profile issues are at stake.

Two ex-Miami mayors cross party lines to endorse governor candidates

Two ex-Miami mayors have crossed party lines in different directions to weigh in on the Florida governor’s race.
Republican Rick Scott’s campaign is touting an endorsement by former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, whose statement came off sounding a wee…

Hillsborough, Pinellas: The two counties to watch on election night

“This is an area that will vote Democratic and Republican in the same election. They’re classic ticket-splitters,” says Tom Eldon, a Democratic political consultant and pollster who is based in Sarasota. “And you can’t take their votes for granted.”

Scott would ‘recuse’ himself if Solantic investigated

Republican governor candidate Rick Scott said, if elected, he will recuse himself from any decisions involving the potential investigation of Solantic, a chain of clinics he founded in 2001, other than appointing the head of the state’s health care agency.…

Bondi responds to Democratic dog ad

Pam Bondi, Republican candidate for Florida attorney general, responded to the recent ad by Democrats casting her as the villain in a dog custody case.
Bondi adopted a dog from a shelter after Hurricane Katrina. The dog’s original owners…

Attempt to remove Rivera from ballot blocked

After a Miami Herald article revealed that there was no evidence District 25 congressional candidate David Rivera ever received income from the U.S. Agency for International Development, as he claimed on financial disclosure forms filed with the state, a…

The right-wing roots of Scott’s press strategy

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott has bucked the tradition of meeting with newspaper editorial boards. Instead he broadcasts his message through TV, the web and grassroots rallies.

The strategy, which mirrors that of many conservative candidates around the country this year, is rooted in the media maneuvers of right-wing movements, and Scott’s campaign in fact shares DNA with both the press management of the district attorney who prosecuted Kansas abortion provider George Tiller and the public relations company that promoted Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in the 2004 presidential campaign.