Voting A Family Affair For Curtis Fundamental Teacher

Parents brought their children with them to the polls Tuesday in Clearwater.

Voting is a family affair for the Alonso’s. Theresa, 28, went to the polls at precinct 521 the Salvation Army, 1625 N Belcher Road, with her husband and 20-month old son Tuesday afternoon.  “He lives here too,” Alonso said. She said voting is very important and makes sure to get to the polls each election season. She did not have a long wait and the family was in and out of the precinct in about 20 minutes. She was not the only parent who brought their children to the polls Tuesday. Mandy Adams is a school teacher at Curtis Fundamental Elementary where she spent the day talking to her class about the importance of voting.  Her daughter Ava, a student at the school, was with her mother to see the words put into action Tuesday afternoon. …

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Influence Tracker: C.W. Bill Young's Top Contributors

Track some of the top contributors to Rep. C. W. Bill Young with the Wired/MapLight Influence Tracker app.

The Wired/MapLight Influence Tracker app lets users hone in on top contributors to candidates for federal offices. Rep. C.W. Bill Young's top contributors include Boeing, Food Allergy Institute and Bgc Partners, a global brokerage and real estate investment company, according to the app. Check opponent Jessica Ehrlich's top contributors here.

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Show Us Your Election Bling

Creative campaign swag is catching eyes where ever you look on the political landscape (locally or nationally) this election season. Show us yours!

Democrats, Republicans, local races to national races: as election day grows near, supporters of all leanings are literally wearing their ideology on their sleeve in the most creative ways. From buttons to funny hats, how do you show support for your candidate? We want to see your election bling! Click the "Upload Your Photos and Videos" button that accompanies this story to share yours with everyone. Got pics of your political buttons, from 2012 or from elections past? Have photos of your yard signs, bumper stickers or posters supporting your favorite candidate? Show them off here! Full disclosure: We've posted this story on all 23 of our Patch sites across the Tampa Bay area because we want to see all our neighbors and communities …

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Bob Hackworth Has 'Passion for Good Government'

Former mayor Bob Hackworth says he's fiscally responsible and passionate about Dunedin. He is challenging Mayor Dave Eggers in the 2012 election.

Bob Hackworth is no stranger to Dunedin politics. Hackworth, 57, stepped down voluntarily after serving seven years from 2002 to 2009 as mayor, he said, because he felt satisfied with his contribution to the community. Hackworth then made a failed bid for Pinellas County Commission in 2010 against longtime incumbent Susan Latvala. He is back and challenging incumbent Dave Eggers because he's disappointed with the commission blaming the city's development on the recession and its inability to get things done. Hackworth's latest mayoral bid is motivated by a lot of outside pressure, too. “I have a passion for Dunedin," he said. "I have a passion for good government. I don’t necessarily have a passion for being mayor again.” When he was mayor…

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Laundromat Owner Takes Stand Against Obama

Karen Rogers, owner of Rogers Linen Services, Inc. in Dunedin, says she's just saying what other small business owners are afraid to say — "I built this business."

From Douglas Avenue, the patriotic red, white and blue sign that hangs in the window at Rogers Linen Services, Inc., looks like another innocuous campaign sign around town. But, wait. Look closer. It contains a strong message to the president: "I built this business without gov't help: Obama Can Kiss My Ass." Owner Karen Rogers said she is just saying what a lot of people and small business owners want to say, but don't for fear of retribution. She said anyone can order the signs online and customize the message. "You can have 'butt,' 'fanny' ... but I prefer 'ass,' " she said. "He had no right to say that," she said, referring to President Barack Obama's controversial "You Didn't Build That" speech in July. ("If you’ve got a business — …

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

The Paul Ryan VP Pick: What Does it Mean in Florida?

Mitt Romney's selection for a Vice-Presidential pick could have an impact in November in Florida's races beyond the White House.

After NBC News first reported the selection Friday night, Wisconsin U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan was formally introduced to the nation as Mitt Romney's running mate on the GOP ticket Saturday morning during an event in front of the U.S.S. Wisconsin in Norfolk, Va. In a recent Patch survey of influential Florida Republicans, those polled agreed that U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio would energize Florida voters the most. Rubio touted the selection in a released statement. "Throughout his life, Mitt Romney has made great decisions, and choosing Paul Ryan as his running mate is a truly inspired choice," the statement said. "Paul Ryan is a courageous reformer who understands our nation’s challenges, has proposed bold policy solutions to solve them, and has shown …

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Complete Coverage of July 17 Pinellas Sheriff's Debate

See complete Patch coverage of the debate, including the entire debate on video.

We hope you didn't miss Tuesday night's Pinellas County Sheriff's debate. It's the last scheduled debate before the two Republican candidates — Bob Gualtieri and Everett Rice — head into the GOP primary on Aug. 14. Now's the time to get all caught up! For a recap of the event read the story:  Watch the debate in its entirety: Watch debate moderator Al Reuchel's post-debate analysis: Watch each of the candidates describe the highlight: The debate was sponsored by Patch, the National Armed Services & Law Enforcement Memorial Museum and Bay News 9, and held at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater Octagon Arts Center.  Also, look here for more of Patch's coverage on the Pinellas County Sheriff's race.

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Sheriff's Debate: Moderator Gives Analysis

Al Reuchel, Bay News 9 senior anchor, weighs in on what voters may have taken away after the Pinellas County Sheriff Candidate debate on Tuesday night.

Bay News 9 Senior News Anchor Al Ruechel says he's moderated 30 to 40 debates in his career, however, this debate was more fun and natural. Ruechel calls the evening a success and believes some candidates were more prepared than others, in an analysis after the Pinellas County Sheriff's candidate debate on Tuesday at Unitarian Universalists Octagon Arts Center in Clearwater. He believes voters were able to get to know the candidates and where they stand on issues such as immigration, prescription drugs, balancing the budget and cutting programs. Watch the video attached to this story to hear Ruechel's debate analysis. You can also watch the entire two-hour debate in three sections on Patch. Watch each of the candidates describe their …

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