TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Several Florida lawmakers, lobbyists and others are celebrating the start of session this week at an annual reception Monday night in downtown Tallahassee.
The Associated Industries of Florida hosts a special event each year just before the legislative session begins.
Make no mistake, 2018 is a big year for Florida politics, with races for governor and a U.S Senate seat. House speaker Richard Corcoran is rumored to announce a run for governor, while the current governor could be looking to unseat Bill Nelson in the U.S. Senate.
WTXL political contributor Dr. Richard Murgo says these key races are sure to impact how efficient lawmakers are when it comes to passing legislation this session.
"We've had President Trump who's come into the issue, who's supporting now a representative coming out of the House of Representatives for governor as well," said Murgo. "So, we've got a lot of vying power struggles -- people much more concerned about their future careers, unfortunately. Hopefully, it doesn't supersede the concerns of the state of Florida and its citizens."
Here in the Big Bend, local democrats Andrew Gillum and Gwen Graham are continuing the push to win the primary in august for the governor's race and we're likely to see more candidates make announcements in the months to come.
