Orlando

Staff ReportsJanuary 2, 2019

With several municipal elections set for 2019 and the 2020 elections just over the horizon, the Business Voice Political Committee announced new leadership to pilot the PAC’s efforts over the next two years. The Business Voice board recently voted to install Dawn Mays as its chair-elect chair and Neal Johnson as its new secretary. The […]

Scott PowersJanuary 2, 2019

Orlando Democratic state Reps. Carlos Guillermo Smith and Anna Eskamani announced Wednesday that they’re organizing a town hall meeting on state funding for the arts later this month in Orlando. Smith, who has a seat on the House Appropriations Committee, and Eskamani contended that Florida’s arts funding ranks near the bottom nationally after cuts last year, and […]

Staff ReportsDecember 28, 2018

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Mike Ertel will be Secretary of State under Ron DeSantis after the Governor-elect is sworn in next month, according to a Friday transition press release. The person in the appointed position is, among other things, the state’s chief elections officer. News that Ertel was being considered was first reported by Florida […]

Scott PowersDecember 21, 2018

After coming out of a contentious four-way election that ousted the previous chair Thursday night, new Seminole County Republican Chair Linda Trocine is pledging pursuit of liberty and high quality of life for residents of the county. Trocine, a real estate agent and former NASA systems engineer from Oviedo, defeated incumbent Kathryn Townsend in a runoff […]

Scott PowersDecember 21, 2018

Florida’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.3 percent in November, the lowest point since 2006, Gov. Rick Scott announced Friday morning. The governor’s last jobs report of his eight-year tenure [the December numbers will be reported after he leaves office] highlighted the point that 1.67 million private-sector jobs were added since December 2010, when Florida was […]

Scott PowersDecember 20, 2018

The chairs of both the Seminole County Republicans and Democrats expressed outraged Thursday over a phony endorsement letter of Seminole Republican Chair Kathryn Townsend‘s re-election bid, in an email circulating over the false signatures of state Rep. Joy Goff-Marcil and other Democrats. The origins of the letter are uncertain to either Townsend of the Democrats, though the […]

Jacob OglesDecember 20, 2018

After poor a midterm performance, a fight is breaking among Republican leadership in Seminole County. County GOP chair Kathryn Townsend faces criticism of toying with membership lists to retain power for herself at the expense of party unity. One countywide elected official has gone as far as offering the executive committee a $25,000 reward if […]

Scott PowersDecember 18, 2018

Citing Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis‘ environmental platform, Democratic state Sen. Linda Stewartis taking another shot at getting oil and gas hydraulic fracturing, fracking, banned in the state of Florida. Stewart filed SB 146 putting a fracking ban back on the Senate’s plate for the seventh or eighth time this decade, this time anticipating momentum and help […]

Scott PowersDecember 17, 2018

Help with Indian River Lagoon restoration projects and otherwise let cities and the county run their own affairs, area leaders told Volusia County’s Legislative delegation Monday. Time and again, representatives of Volusia County, Daytona Beach and other cities and towns in the county urged support for septic-to-sewer and other environmental protection projects aimed at improving […]

Scott PowersDecember 17, 2018

Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani declared that Richard Corcoran has “no professional background in education” in a letter to the Florida Board of Education urging it to conduct a national search before picking Florida’s next Education Commissioner. Corcoran, the pick by Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis for the job, is set to be considered by the Florida Board of […]

Orlando
Listen to Tom Leek's first radio ad.

Business Voice adds Dawn Mays, Neal Johnson to leadership team

Carlos Smith and Anna Eskamani set arts funding meeting

Mike Ertel named Secretary of State under Ron DeSantis

Linda Trocine to push liberty, quality of life as new Seminole Republicans chair

Florida unemployment dips to 3.3 percent

Fake Democrats’ letter to Seminole Republicans draws ire

Bitter losses fuel infighting within Seminole Co. GOP

Linda Stewart thinks this time may be the charm for anti-fracking bill

Indian River aid, Home Rule urged to Volusia lawmakers

Anna Eskamani calls Richard Corcoran ‘politically motivated and unqualified’ to be education chief