Scott Powers, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Former Florida Department of Management Services secretary Jack Miles issued his endorsement Monday of Republican Stockton Reeves in the race for Florida’s House District 47 seat. Reeves, a Winter Park businessman, faces Democrat Anna Eskamani, a Planned Parenthood executive, in the 2018 election race to succeed state Rep. Mike Miller, a Republican who is running […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Gov. Rick Scott declared an emergency in Florida Monday covering all 67 counties to provide assistance to Puerto Rico, and he announced the creation of Puerto Rican disaster relief centers in Orlando and Miami for people fleeing the devastation left behind by Hurricane Maria nearly two weeks ago. “Today, to ensure Florida has every available […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

With very little early-voter turnout during the first weekend heading towards the Oct. 10 special election to fill the vacant seat in Orange County‘s House District 44, Republican Bobby Olszewski appears to have a clear advantage over his Democratic rival Eddy Dominguez, a late-addition replacement candidate. Just 443 votes were cast Saturday and Sunday in […]

Scott PowersOctober 2, 2017

Ever since former Winter Park City Commissioner Karen Diebel married Texas’ U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions in 2012, questions swirled about whether Winter Park was unofficially gaining a member of Congress or losing a fixture in Central Florida politics, most recently with renewed questions about whether the congressman was living in Texas or Florida; but both […]

Scott PowersSeptember 30, 2017

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While joining a relief effort in Orlando that included U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy and several Florida lawmakers and local leaders, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gwen Graham blasted President Donald Trump‘s response to Puerto Rico as “appalling” Saturday. Graham said that the world was witnessing “a failure of planning” for a deadly hurricane that was seen coming […]

Scott PowersSeptember 29, 2017

Airbnb, the nation’s largest vacation rental home marketing business, announced Friday it is extending its Disaster Response Program two more weeks in Florida to help with displaced evacuees and relief workers from Hurricane Irma and evacuees from Hurricane Maria. The company and a few of its host properties have agreed to offer rent-free stays for […]

Scott PowersSeptember 29, 2017

The situation in Hurricane Maria-ravaged Puerto Rico is so bleak that the military response needs to shift from talk to all-out action today or “drastic measures” will have to be taken, Florida’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson declared in Orlando Wednesday. “This is a disaster of gargantuan proportions,” Nelson said. Speaking at the Acacia Puerto […]

Scott PowersSeptember 29, 2017

Republican Orange County School Board Chairman Bill Sublette is entering the race for Orange County mayor. Sublette, a former member of the Florida House of Representatives, filed his paperwork Friday with the Orange County Supervisor of Elections, becoming the first major Republican to enter the race to replace outgoing Mayor Teresa Jacobs, also a Republican, […]

Scott PowersSeptember 28, 2017

After flying to Puerto Rico, visiting the ports, and touring some of the island by air, Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday evening that Florida is ready and in good position to help, though many of Puerto Rico’s challenges are distinct from Florida’s experiences, being an island with limited roads, many washed out from Hurricane Maria’s […]

Scott PowersSeptember 28, 2017

Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy of Winter Park proudly pushed through a bill amendment that ensured families in Puerto Rico are treated equally under the federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program, and after the full bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives Tuesday, she touted it with a tweet, “House just passed my […]

Scott Powers
Gold Coast Eagle Distributing;s Javier Bermudez and Chad Fraser bring water to Helene victims in Bradenton. Image via Gold Coast.

Jack Miles endorses Stockton Reeves in HD 47 race

Rick Scott declares emergency in Florida for Puerto Rico, opens relief centers

Slow early-voter turnout for HD 44 special election favors Republicans

Long-distance romance: Karen and Pete Sessions calling Dallas, not Winter Park, home

Joining relief effort, Gwen Graham blasts Donald Trump’s Puerto Rico response as ‘appalling’

Airbnb extends disaster response for Hurricanes Irma, Maria

Bill Nelson: Puerto Rico response must ramp up now or drastic measures coming

Bill Sublette entering Orange County mayor’s race

Rick Scott says Florida is willing and in good shape to help Puerto Rico

Stephanie Murphy touts bill that she voted against