INFLUENCE
100 Ben POLLARA {PLAYER}
You may think Ben Pollara is a grizzled veteran of Florida politics. He is a veteran, but he is not grizzled. He has been working in politics for almost two decades — and he’s only 33. The guy, who many people statewide met as attorney John Morgan’s medical marijuana campaign guru, has been a mainstay in Democratic inner circles since he burst on the scene working with I-4 political campaigns like Bill McBride for governor or Bill Nelson’s Senate campaign. He was just a teenager, but he had the gravitas of a senior campaign staffer. After acquiring a Swiss Army knife set of campaign skills, from fundraising to messaging, he moved to South Florida where he has been a mainstay in an array of local, state and national campaigns. There are few campaigns or races that Ben hasn’t influenced in some form or fashion. His crowning achievement was the 71 percent approval statewide of Amendment 2 in 2016, which legalized marijuana for medical use. Ben ran the campaign from the petition collection to the Election Day operations. With the rare combination of youth, experience and major statewide victories, the future is bright for Ben Pollara. – Oscar Branyon, State Senator
PHOTO: Mary Beth Tyson
Noah PRANSKY {MEDIA}
Catching politicians doing the wrong thing or looking bad is the forte of WTSP Investigative reporter Noah Pransky. Pransky, a tenacious pain in the butt —which all good investigative reporters should be — caught Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn in the biggest on-camera meltdown of his career. Buckhorn lost it on camera when questioned about media consultant Beth Leytham’s influence on the failed “Go Hillsborough” transportation proposal. He has repeatedly made Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan look like a bumbling fool for his refusal to answer questions about the financing for a plan to bring the Rays to Ybor City. Pransky, in a national investigation, helped uncover politicians no longer in office living high on the hog with leftover campaign money. Polk Sheriff Grady Judd was exposed for his overzealous stings; red light cameras came under scrutiny, and tow truck companies violating Tampa’s towing ordinance were other Pransky targets. One of the most important methods of influencing Florida politics is to ensure 120 | INFLUENCE SUMMER 2018
those in power don’t abuse it. Noah Pransky is at the top of the list of watchdog reporters speaking truth to power, to make sure politicians are doing their job, or at least let the public know when they don’t. – Mike Deeson, Investigative Journalist