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Democrats were able to hold on to four heavily reworked U.S. House districts in the midterm elections Tuesday, even as Republicans eked out victories in several contests thought to be safe GOP seats. The new Congressional maps pushed by President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis redrew 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House…
Ashley Herrmann, an unapologetic member of the Democratic Socialists of America, won election to the Florida State House in the 2026 General Election, defeating incumbent Republican State Rep. Danny Alvarez by earning 52% of the vote.
Temple Terrace elected three city councilmembers on Nov. 3, 2026, sending one incumbent back (Alison Fernandez) along with two newcomers (Karen Michalski and Amber Treat).
Florida's Amendment 3's has passed. State economists say it could reduce local government revenue by nearly $5 billion in its first year and nearly $8.8 billion the following year.
In the race for District 2 school board, Hillsborough County chose the candidate with an immense educational background. According to the Hillsborough Election Supervisor website, Daniela Simic has won with 52.22% of the vote with 85 of 92 precincts reporting, defeating Republican challenger Brittany Lyssy…
Despite intense ridicule for his support of data centers and his wife’s $30 million taxpayer funded charter school empire, Florida voters have elected Republican Byron Donalds, who has made history as the state’s first Black governor. With 95% of precincts reporting, Fresh Take Florida’s election dashboard shows…
Despite being dogged by a $10 million Hope Florida scandal, Republican incumbent Ashley Moody has defeated her Democratic opponent Angie Nixon. According to AP, Moody has won with 50.8%, with 97% percent of votes counted at 8:34 p.m. The 42-year-old Nixon stunned Democratic party lifers with a resounding victory in a…
Dr. Neil Manimala defeated former Hillsborough County School Boardmember Stacy Hanh in the race for county commission's District 5 seat.
Republican incumbent Gus Bilikrakis has managed to hang on to his seat, defeating Democrat and former Hillsborough County commissioner Kimberly Overman in the race for U.S. House District 12. According to polls, Bilikrakis secured 60.03% of votes from Pasco County and 45.05% of votes from Hillsborough County, as of…
Break out las chanclas, Aileen Rodriguez is headed for the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners after ousting incumbent “hostile” Josh Wostal. With 95% of precincts reporting, Rodriguez has 56% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections. This was a seat that…
Democrat incumbent Kathy Castor has hung on to beat “MAGA Mike” Beltran and win her newly gerrymandered congressional seat in U.S. House, District 14. According to the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Election’s Office, Castor has won, with 51.19% percent, with results from 222 of 234 precincts reporting at 8:14 p.m…
Democratic Florida State Sen. Brian Nathan, who won a special election last March, has won re-election in the 2026 General Election, where he once again faced Republican Josie Tomkow.
Charlie Crist defeated incumbent St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch on Nov. 3, 2026, ending one of the ugliest races in the city's history.
'The House of Analog' opening night tops a list of Tampa Bay's best things to do the week of Nov. 5-12, 2026.
The grassroots organization Transit Now Tampa Bay hosts a bus ride and pub crawl in Tampa's Seminole Heights neighborhood on Friday, Nov. 13.
A review of other counties on the list shows a number of high-population counties with historically high Democrat voter turnout.
Hidden Springs Ale Works, which has operated a tasting room in Tampa Heights since 2015, has announced a relocation, after its building came under new ownership.
Donald Trump’s sagging public approval numbers have led to an expectation that Democrats will have a big night around the country on Tuesday. But the essential question in Florida is whether any sort of “blue wave” makes its way to the Sunshine State? That didn’t happen during Trump’s first midterm election as…
A new news website, Tampa Bay Reporter, went online in late-September and celebrates its official launch with a party in St. Petersburg on Nov. 6, 2026.
Tampa photographer Tracy may traveled to Austin, Texas last month to capture the first weekend of Austin City Limits.
Americana songwriter Nick Shoulders played a Tampa concert at Orpheum on Nov. 1, 2026.
The rock band Dead Poet Society played a Tampa concert on Halloween night 2026.
Pete Yorn, an indie-rock songwriter popular in the early 2000s, is bringing a tour celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut LP 'Musicforthemorningafter' to Tampa in February.
Before thousands of voter precincts open statewide Tuesday morning, nearly 40 percent of the state’s electorate have already cast ballots for the midterm elections. According to the Division of Elections, 5.4 million of the state’s 13.7 million voters have already cast ballots through the mail or at early voting…
Although Gov. Ron DeSantis sounded the alarm about Republican voter turnout earlier this week, other Florida GOP officials insist they’ve little to worry about as Democrats turned out in bigger numbers than they did four years ago in early in-person and mail voting. Little to worry about yet, anyway. Anthony Pedicini…
In what could be described as one of the ugliest games of football played in the past 5 years, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated in a 16-0 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Following the theme from last week’s victory over another division rival, the Carolina Panthers, the Bucs pounded the ball the entire afternoon…
Tampa City Council voted 4-3 last Thursday to approve a community benefits agreement with the owners of the Tampa Bay Rays, but not without objection from community leaders who had issues with the rushed timeline. The city is giving $80 million of taxpayer money to the team to go toward funding the new stadium. As
FOOD NEWS Fundraiser for Rene’s will include free food and beer from Tampa favorites like Mise en Place, Streetlight Tacos and more Last month, popular V.M. taco spot Rene’s Mexican Kitchen was heavily damaged in a fire due to issues with a circuit breaker, and since then the community has been rallying to help owner
Public safety officials from rural Florida counties said residents should expect to see longer response times, drops in services and the consolidation of small police and fire departments across the state if voters pass Amendment 3, the major property tax cut proposal. “Crime is down because we work hard to keep crime…
In its fifth year, the St. Pete Reads! Lit Fest returns to Woodson African American Museum on Nov. 7, 2026.
Tampa Bay’s Kathy Castor was among 40 House Democrats who did not sign a letter condemning the early morning raid and ongoing investigation into Representative Ilhan Omar over alleged “immigration fraud.” Sent on Oct. 26 and signed by 175 members of congress, the letter criticizes the Oct. 12 raid on the Minnesota…
A Florida judge last week recommended dismissing a misconduct case against a Clay County teacher for a post celebrating conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
'SNL' alum Leslie Jones is part of Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's November 2026 roundup of the best comedy gigs coming to Tampa Bay.
On Nov. 7, 2026, the 'Unusual Noise' festival, funded by a grant from Creative Pinellas and Visit St. Pete-Clearwater, continues Dunedin Brewery's tradition of bringing Floridian music from the fringe to live music fans.
Tampa LegalsLegals Notice of Public Sale Notice is hereby given that the undersigned will sell, to satisfy lien of the owner, at public sale by competitive bidding on www.storagetreasures.com. ending on November 13th, 2026 at 10:00 am for units located at Compass Self Storage 1685 Hwy 17 N Eagle Lake Florida 33839…
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's 'Music Week' is a recurring listing collecting the best concerts and live music coming to the Bay area, this time covering Oct. 29-Nov. 5, 2026.
He said he doesn’t think Republican parents in their 30s and 40s are turning out in the same numbers as they did for his reelection because the urgency isn’t the same when the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic was still fresh.
Ron DeSantis was in Crystal River Wednesday, ostensibly to announce that his administration was providing an additional $100 million to restore and protect Florida’s water resources across 45 projects. However, he spent nearly half of his press conference making the case once again for Amendment 3, the proposal on the…
Alan Cohn and Morris Lopez III, both candidates in Tampa's District 7 City Council race, weigh in on the Tampa Bay Rays and Amendment 3.
Last Monday, over 40 public safety leaders, including local police chiefs and three sheriffs, gathered at the Tampa Firefighters Museum to urge voters to reject Amendment 3. Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, an elected official who leads the area’s largest law enforcement agency, was noticeably absent…
Peace Cult's 'Zombie Prom' tops a list of Halloween concerts happening from Oct. 30-Nov. 1, 2026 across Tampa Bay.
Daikaiju returns to Tampa where it'll play a special brand of surf-rock on Oct. 31, 2026.
Tampa Bay skateboarder, photographer and videographer Adam Hadden spent more than four years collecting the photos for his new book, 'Pelican,' which he completed in partnership with Jimmy Lannon.
Last year, the Indian River County Hospital District helped pay for 230,000 medical visits, counseling sessions, prenatal checkups and other care for roughly 27,000 people, about 1 in 6 county residents, who otherwise couldn’t afford it. It paid for Meals on Wheels for seniors who can’t drive, dental and mental health…
At a closed-door meeting with students and faculty on Oct. 27, 2026, Hillsborough College President Ken Atwater details a change in plans for students who were told that they would have a temporary on-site campus while the Tampa Bay Rays built a new stadium.
The beloved Emo Night Tampa series stages its annual Halloween concert on Oct. 31, 2026, this time featuring. bands covering Paramore and Amyl and the Sniffers.
Meek Mill is part of a 'Nightmare on Channelside' concert happening in Tampa on Oct. 31, 2026.
Nick Shoulders, the new-gen country songwriter from Arkansas, brings a new LP, 'Refugia Blues,' to Tampa for a concert on Nov. 1, 2026.
Doom Gong, a genre-blurring psych-rock and jazz band, plays a Tampa concert on Nov. 5, 2026.
The Hillsborough County Fair, opening in Dover, Florida on Nov. 5, 2026 and running 11 days, includes affordable family activities.
The Bay area, especially Tampa, was built on the backs of immigrants. And politicians love to talk about them. On the campaign trail, Republicans talk about deporting them, regardless of whether they’ve violated a criminal statute. Some Democrats toe the line, trying to convince moderates that they believe in borders…
There's no shortage of haunted places across the Tampa Bay area. Here are five you can visit before Halloween.
Tampa’s Barrio Latino Commission delayed a final vote on a controversial proposal for a music venue at its Oct. 27, 2026 meeting, but also approved the relocation of a grand oak and casita that stand in the way.
Hulk Hogan died over a year ago, and now his primary residence in Clearwater Beach has sold for $6 million.
After first opening in 1926, the Barlas family permanently closed Coney Island Sandwich Shop in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Since then, there have been a couple attempts to re-open the iconic restaurant, but now the Barlas family is ready to become landlords and give someone else a shot.
National Geographic photographer Mac Stone will discuss a new book ('Cypress: The Last Old-Growth Swamps') at the Tampa Bay History Center on Nov. 4, 2026. The event is part of this listing of Tampa Bay's best things to do, October 29-November 5, 2026.
Wicked Oak Barbeque is getting the Guy Fieri treatment. The popular Seminole Heights spot, located at 6607 N Florida Ave., announced on social media yesterday that it will be featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” “We’ve been keeping a bit of a secret y’all. Wicked Oak is going to be featured on…
Florida has sued a company that issues climate change assessments of property risks including flooding that the state alleges are deceptive, deviate from the federal flood insurance assessments, and are depressing home sales. First Street Technology Inc., the complaint filed Friday alleges, posts “alarmist” risk data…
The Linda Lindas, a Los Angeles punk band, made a Tampa debut during an Oct. 25. 2026 concert at Orpheum.
Plant City's Sanchez Farms Santa Maria Tepos Farms hosts the Festival de Cempasúchil daily through Nov. 2, 2026.
Progressive Democrats might all be holding their noses voting for David Jolly (who didn’t quit the Republican Party until 2018 and waited until last year to put another capital D on his name), but the fact is that the stench coming from the governor’s Cabinet is putrid. Up and down the ticket, Florida deserves new
The first weekend of early voting being available in every Florida county pushed the number of votes cast for the Nov. 3 election towards 2.8 million, more than 20 percent of the turnout in the prior midterm election in 2022. While most counties started offering the in-person option at the start of last week, it
Last month, popular V.M. taco spot Rene’s Mexican Kitchen was heavily damaged in a fire due to issues with a circuit breaker, and since then the community has been rallying to help owner Rene Valenzuela get back to business. On Friday, Nov. 6 Spaddy’s Coffee Co. in Seminole Heights will host a massive fundraiser for
Taste of Pinellas just announced two parts of its lineup coming to Tropicana Field this spring, but Andy Grammy and Old Dominion are just part of this new roundup of new concert announcements coming to Tampa Bay. Punk elder The Casualties is also on the way back, along with one of Tampa’s finest new hardcore
Taste of Pinellas was once one of the county’s biggest concerts, bringing the likes of KC and the Sunshine Band, Sheryl Crow, Bonnie Raitt, Chris Isaak and Buddy Guy to the lineup. After announcing its return from a 12-year hiatus, Taste of Pinellas has a 2027 concert lineup to share, too. This morning, organizers said
Don’t look now, but … the Bucs are only two games out of first place in the NFC South. One of the teams tied for first place is the Carolina Panthers. This is the same team the Bucs just gave an absolute shellacking to on Sunday afternoon during a 43-13 victory. Frankly, the game was
Dear Oracle, This Venus in Retrograde has been brutal for me, and I’m really not OK. I’m looking for a serious relationship and have been for a long time, but I’ve had so many past (and current) partners who don’t want to commit to anything. I keep getting my heart broken by these dudes, and
Hello, Carly and Claire! I’ve run into what I call a “little big problem” in my marriage. My wife and I have been married for 27 years, and overall we have a very beautiful marriage!! She is truly the light of my life!! OK, Let’s address the elephant in the room… me.!! I’ve gained 114
The student radio station at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg was recently named the fourth best in the country by The Princeton Review. When I visited the small studio on a rainy October afternoon, I was a bit surprised to hear “Daytripper” by The Beatles on the studio monitors. “My parents in general really did
Earlier this month, the Jacksonville-based women’s professional basketball league Upshot (stylized all-caps) announced that it will be awarding an expansion franchise to the city of Tampa for the 2027 season. The announcement of the yet-unnamed team marks not the arrival, but the return of women’s professional…
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's 2026 voting guide includes recommendation and endorsements for Hillsborough and Pinellas voters choosing a state senator.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's 2026 voter guide includes recommendations and endorsements for St. Petersburg's city council and mayoral races, plus the referendums and charter amendments.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's 2026 voting guide includes recommendations and endorsements for Pinellas state representatives, county commission, and school board.
President Donald Trump is mentioned in the Epstein Files over 38,000 times, so it makes sense he tried his best to block the release of documents that show him rubbing elbows with the worst sex pests on the planet. To further educate the public on this topic, the Donald J. Trump and Jeffrey Epstein Memorial
Voters in Hillsborough County have a unique opportunity to shape their county government for generations, especially on county commission. Six seats are up for grabs, and there’s a referendum that could increase membership from seven commissioners to nine, with an increase to 11 members once the county has a…
OPENINGS/CLOSINGS New pinball bar The Lucky Flipper coming to downtown St. Pete this winter That deaf, dumb and blind kid is probably old enough to enjoy a beer. So if you’re looking to play a “mean pinball” in The Edge District (stylized “EDGE”), then The Lucky Flipper might be your new spot. The new St.
That deaf, dumb and blind kid is probably old enough to enjoy a beer. So if you’re looking to play a “mean pinball” in The Edge District (stylized “EDGE”), then The Lucky Flipper might be your new spot. The new St. Pete pinball bar will open at 915 Central Ave., within the former 1,600-square-foot venue
Click here to see CL’s complete 2026 election endorsement guide. U.S. House, District 12 (Hillsborough): Kimberly Overman It was a bit of a surprise to see The Tampa Bay Times recently “recommend” incumbent Republican Gus Bilikrakis over Democrat and former Hillsborough County commissioner Kimberly Oveman. In the…
Early voting is happening through Sunday, Nov. 1 across the Tampa Bay area. Here's how to do it, and who Creative Loafing Tampa Bay is voting for.
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay recommends three "No" votes on the 2026 Florida Constitutional Amendments,
The room where it happens is in Ybor City on Friday. That’s when Tampa’s young voters get a musical oriented lesson ahead of the midterms, which wrap on Tuesday, Nov. 3 (early voting is happening now). Lin-Manuel Miranda’s award-winning Broadway musical “Hamilton” opens this week at the Straz Center, but some of its…
UPDATED: Oct. 21, 2026, 7:11 p.m. ET (This story has been updated with court records from the First District Court of Appeal and the Highlands County dismissal.) The Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) on Wednesday filed a notice dismissing its Highlands County lawsuit seeking to ban Democratic television ads about the…
Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's big weekly listing of things to do across the Bay area, this time covering Oct. 22-29, 2026.
This is Creative Loafing Tampa Bay's weekly roundup of the best concerts coming to the Bay area, this time covering Oct. 22-29, 2026, and including sets from The Linda Lindas, Jacuzzi Boys, and others.
Two Florida counties have reported seeing immigration enforcement at or near polling places open for in-person early voting hours. In Leon County, Supervisor of Elections Mark Earley said two U.S. Customs and Border Patrol vehicles were seen at the Northeast Branch Library, the busiest polling site in the county, on…
They Hate Change, the Tampa hip-hop duo signed to Jagjaguwar records in 2021, plays a rare, no-cover, concert on Oct. 29, 2026 at Wave & See's 'Heightened Senses' event.
Alice Cooper returns to Clearwater on Oct. 27, 2026, with a new LP, 'he Revenge of Alice Cooper,' and a bestselling memoir, in tow.
The Linda Lindas, an L.A. punk band now signed to Warner Bros., brings its third LP to Tampa for a show on Oct. 25, 2026.
Jacuzzi Boys, the beloved Miami rock band, returns to Ybor City this weekend, Oct. 25, 2026, in support of a new LP, 'Too Cold To Tango.'
Tampa Halloween concert 'Ybor Horror' has found a new come at Coppertail Brewing, after the closure of Crowbar. It returns this weekend, Oct. 24, 2026, with a healthy lineup of indie-rock band.
Rap-Toberfest brings an eclectic lineup of emcees, including Alfred Banks, to Dunedin on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The kitschy metal band Nekrogoblikon comes to Tampa on a 20th anniversary tour on Oct. 24, 2026.
St. Petersburg reggae-rock band The Hip Abduction plays its largest hometown headlining show to date on Oct. 24, 2026.
Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera is stepping down to run for State House. Tampa’s charter states appointments for empty seats on city council must be filled within 30 days from the seats' vacancy. Anyone can apply starting Tuesday, Nov. 3, at 9 a.m., with a deadline to submit the paper application at noon on Nov. 9.
Deviant Libation, in Tampa's Ybor Heights neighborhood, hosts the two-day metal music festival Rott Fest, Oct. 23-24.
Less than five months after Florida Senate President Ben Albritton hailed his chamber for voting to put a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot seeking a major expansion of the homestead property tax exemption for non-school taxes, he now says he opposes the proposal. “As a native of Florida’s heartland, our rural communities…
DJ Dfaz continues his recurring showcase of Florida hip-hop, this time bringing acts like MacDeezy to The Bricks in Ybor City on Oct. 23, 2026.
A new benefit concert for blues guitarist Damon Fowler tops a new list of the best new concert announcements for the Tampa Bay area.
Indie-rock bands Snail Mail and Soccer Mommy brought a long-awaited co-headlining tour to Tampa Orpheum, as captured in these concert photos.
The legal position of the Hope Florida grand jury report, already widely reported but also expunged by an appellate court, grew murkier Tuesday amid a multi-pronged effort to prohibit any publication of the document. A group of people named in the grand jury report, first leaked in August, petitioned the 1st District…