BusinessForce backing Bob Cortes’ bid in HD 30

Bob Cortes is hosting a toy drive for Puerto Rico.

Republican former Rep. Bob Cortes won the support of BusinessForce in his bid to win back the seat he once held representing House District 30.

Cortez,  of Altamonte Springs, was defeated for reelection in 2018 by Democratic Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil. He now is seeking a rematch this fall for the district covering south-central Seminole County and north-central Orange County.

BusinessForce, a leading business advocacy group in Central Florida, seeks to promote pro-business candidates on a non-partisan basis. In past elections it has offered credence to candidates from both parties wishing to declare they are pro-business.

“We look forward to supporting Representative Cortes during this election cycle as he continues to promote free enterprise and economic growth in our region,” said Jose Boscan, chairman of the BusinessForce Board of Directors.

Goff-Marcil won the 2018 election by a 53-47 spread. The contest sounded as a bellwether for the changing demographics of the both the district and the region. The district has swung several times in the past few elections as the region trends more Democratic, favoring Goff-Marcil, a former Maitland City Council member, and more Hispanic, favoring Cortes, a tow-truck company owner who’s been a leader in a variety of Hispanic organizations.

“It’s an honor to earn this endorsement right out of the gate,” Cortes replied. “I’ve worked with BusinessForce and their membership on all the major issues for Central Florida, from transportation to education. I look forward to working with them again to rebuild our economy and meet our biggest challenges.”

Cortes served two terms in the Florida House, and before that served as Mayor of Longwood. While in the House, he served as a deputy majority whip, and as vice chair of both the Education Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee.

Goff-Marcil serves on the House’s Health and Human Services Committee, the Higher Education and Career Readiness Subcommittee, the PreK-12 Innovation Subcommittee, and the Public Integrity and Ethics Committee.