Ashley Lopez: Pablo Pantoja cited among his reasons for leaving a “culture of intolerance surrounding the Republican Party.”

Ralph De La Cruz: Florida voters overwhelmingly voted for fundamental changes in how political boundaries are drawn. But when state senators unveiled their redistricting maps Monday, it simply looked like more of the same.

Ralph De La Cruz: The state legislature and Gov. Rick Scott pushed the constitutional envelope so far this past legislative session that you almost need a scorecard to keep up with the legal challenges it’s facing at taxpayer expense.

Ralph De La Cruz: State lawmakers passed “statement” legislation last session about firearms, welfare and unions, and now Floridians are paying for those laws at the courthouse.

Ralph De La Cruz: As with class-size reduction, redistricting pits politicians against voters.

Delegación del Congreso de la Florida utilizaron un proceso detrás de las escenas conocidas como ‘lettermarking’ para traer dinero a casa de estímulo federal.

Lettermarking: Florida’s congressional delegation used a behind-the-scenes process known as ‘lettermarking’ to bring home federal stimulus money.