About the Site
Launched online in 1997, Politics1 is published as a non-partisan public service to promote fully informed decision-making by the American electorate. One of the first pioneering political blog and news sites, Politics1 draws a sizable and devoted audience of political professionals, journalists, educators, and activists. The data on the site is often crowd-sourced, so we are incredibly grateful to all those political professionals, activists, and journalists who constantly contribute the information and tips which keeps Politics1 so current. Politics1 won The PBS Democracy Project Point of Excellence Award - one of only eight political or news websites in the nation to receive the award in 1998.
WHY WE ARE TRUSTED: Since 1997, publisher Ron Gunzburger has personally curated all the Politics1 listings, reviewing data from FEC and state candidate filings, news reports, notes from new candidates/campaigns, and tips from trusted political insiders and activists. Candidate descriptions are based on Ron's reviews of the candidate website, LinkedIn and social media profiles, and news reports. Check out what others say about us: REVIEWS & AWARDS.
Ron Gunzburger — Founder & Publisher of Politics1.com
About Ron
Ron Gunzburger is an experienced, top-level governmental administrator and strategist, attorney, and political/policy advisor, with a solid and creative reputation for troubleshooting, crisis management, and dynamic communications programs. He is also the publisher/editor of Politics1. Moving into the realm of what was then called "new media," he created and launched the Politics1 web site in late 1997 ... and created the popular HillZoo website for Capitol Hill congressional staffers in 2000.
Ron served as Senior Advisor (Political Director) to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan throughout his second term. In that capacity, he was the architect of the two largest tax cuts in state history (the Covid RELIEF Act of 2021, and the Retirement Tax Elimination Act of 2022). Ron was also the Governor's Director of Covid-19 Response Strategy throughout the pandemic's two year state of emergency. The Washington Post ranked Maryland as the best overall state pandemic response in the nation.
The South Florida Business Journal honored Ron in 1998 with its prestigious 40 Under 40 Award for achieving career excellence before age 40. The Broward County Commission (Florida) honored Ron in 2019 with a "Ron Gunzburger Day" proclamation for his years of service to the community. He also received a US Marine Corps Certificate of Commendation in 2005 for "Outstanding Civilian Support to the 1/23 Marines in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II." And Ron was a featured panelist at the National Governors Association's #DisagreeBetter convening in New Hampshire in September 2023
Ron began his political consulting career when his mother — former Broward County Mayor Sue Gunzburger — first ran for political office in 1982 (she won that race, and won eight more consecutive elections, before retiring in 2014). His mom earned national fame or infamy — depending upon your politics — for her prominent role in the 2000 Florida Presidential recount). Specializing in strategy and communications, Ron was a professional campaign consultant in over 130 campaigns ranging from municipal and judicial races to congressional and gubernatorial campaigns. Ron's activism as a pioneer for gay legal equality in South Florida in the 1980s and 1990s was recognized by the Stonewall National Museum & Archives, when they interviewed him in 2016 for their permanent oral history archives.
A trial attorney who practiced 1988-2025, Ron previously served as an Assistant Public Defender, an Assistant Florida Attorney General (RICO Unit), a litigation partner in a top-100 national law firm, and General Counsel/Executive Director at the Broward Sheriff's Office in Florida (one of the largest public safety agencies in the nation, with 5,400 personnel). Before entering law school, Ron served in the 1980s as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill for Congressmen Dick Gephardt of Missouri and Clay Shaw of Florida (Ron's hometown congressman).
Ron and his husband Dana moved to Maryland in 2019. Ron was a candidate for City of Annapolis Alderman in 2025, and was proudly endorsed by the firefighters (IAFF 1926). The voters in the Democratic primary thought Ron was thoughtful, funny, charismatic, hard-working ... but apparently way too conservative and anti-tax to represent this heavily Democratic district.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
LEGAL DISCLAIMER (especially for potentially litigious candidates): Politics1 is not a business. It is Ron's personal site, so the descriptions of candidates are his alone, and his decision on how to list or describe a candidate, or exclude a candidate, is wholly within his first amendment rights. But it is your right to boycott or bad mouth this site if you don't like what Ron does with Politics1.
THE FORMER Politics1 Logos
Logo — 2022 (25th Anniversary design):
Logo — 2017 (20th Anniversary site redesign):
Logo — 2004:
Logo — 2002:
Logo — 1999:
Original Logo — 1997:
BEST OF THE SPECIAL REPORTS FROM THE FORMER POLITICS1 BLOG:
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (... or "HOW THE FLORIDA RECOUNT BECAME A FAMILY HAPPENING") - December 2000
JCOC: HOW I ACTUALLY LEARNED SOME GOOD STUFF WHILE PLAYING SOLDIER FOR A WEEK - May 2001
STORMING LA FIESTA: A REPORT FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC STATE CONVENTION - December 2003