Ryan Nicol
Orlando Lamas, an architect based in Hialeah, says he’ll be a candidate for the Republican nomination in House District 111 next cycle.
Incumbent Republican Rep. Bryan Avila is term-limited heading into the 2022 election. That gives room for Republican candidates to line up for a shot to represent the right-leaning district.
“I’m excited and encouraged by the people of the district to pursue this seat,” Lamas said in a news release announcing his run.
“I’ve been a longtime resident of this community and believe we cannot stand by while our country and state faces so many serious challenges. We have done many things right in Florida, and I want to continue fighting for free markets and the American way. We must also learn from our mistakes to solve the challenges of today. Whether it’s our infrastructure or our public policy, let’s build things right and for the future.”
Lamas is a University of Florida grad. He doubled up at UF with a master’s degree in architecture. Since 2000, Lamas has headed a construction firm, Three County Construction. In 2003 he launched his own architecture firm as well.
Lamas served on the board of the Florida Building Code Administrators and Inspectors Board. He is also touting his work with the American Institute of Architects, the U.S. Green Building Council and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
With the HD 111 seat open in 2022, it’s possible Lamas will face a competitive primary. In 2020, Avila won his race by about 30 points. That was the second-largest of his four General Election wins, though he won every race by at least 19 percentage points, showing the seat is likely a safe Republican contest.
House Speaker Chris Sprowls selected Avila as Speaker Pro Tempore for his final term in the House. But Avila is also looking forward to his post-House political future. In February, he attended a fundraising event alongside GOP Sen. Manny Diaz. Attendees were encouraged to donate to Diaz as well as Avila’s political committee.
