Scott Powers
Republican state Reps. Anthony Sabatini and Rene Plasencia headline a host committee holding a kickoff fundraiser Tuesday evening for Florida House District 44 Republican candidate Lee Steinhauer in Orange County.
Steinhauer, a Winter Garden lawyer and lobbyist, entered the Republican primary contest last month, hoping for a 2020 general election shot at Democratic state Rep. Geraldine Thompson in the purple district covering southwestern Orange County.
The GOP primary field already includes lawyer Frank Blanco of Winter Garden and businessman Bruno Portigliatti of Orlando, and more are expected, including former state Rep. Bobby Olszewski, who lost the seat to Thompson in the 2018 election.
Steinhauer’s event will be at The Whole Enchilada in Winter Garden, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Besides Sabatini, who represents House District 32 in neighboring Lake County, and Plasencia, who represents House District 50 in eastern Orange and northern Brevard County, the host committee includes Osceola County Commissioner Fred Hawkins, who is running for the Florida House of Representatives in House District 42 in Osceola and Polk counties. Edgewood Mayor John Dowless, who is a campaign consultant for Steinhauer, leads a list of consultants, lobbyists and other politicos also on the host committee.
Steinhauer is president of the government affairs and land use law firm the Steinhauer Group, an Orange County lobbyist, a member of the Orange County Charter Review Commission, and a member of Mayor Jerry Demings‘ Orange County Housing for All Task Force. He represents the Greater Orlando Builders Association and the Apartment Association of Greater Orlando. He’s also licensed to practice law in Florida, New Jersey, and New York.
