Orlando

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs got herself elected countywide chair of the Orange County School Board Tuesday night. For years people have been asking Jacobs what her next act was after eight years of almost unchallenged dominance of the Orange County government, with expectations that she might seek statewide office or a congressional seat. She […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

From the beginning, this was Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings’ race to lose, and he did not disappoint his supporters Tuesday, sweeping to an easy win as the next Mayor of Orange County in a three-way contest. Demings, sheriff for 10 years, easily defeated Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke and businessman Rob Panepinto. The only […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

State Rep. Rene Plasencia easily put away a Republican primary challenge from the right from George Collins, former State Sen. Geraldine Thompson took a step in her political comeback attempt, and Democratic nominees were sorted out for two other Republican-held seats in Central Florida Tuesday. Plasencia, a two-term Representative seeking to hold onto House District […]

Drew WilsonAugust 28, 2018

Three Republicans and two Democrats competed Tuesday for their party’s nomination to succeed former state Rep. Larry Metz, who gave up Lake County’s House District 32 in March to accept a judicial appointment from Gov. Rick Scott. HD 32 has a hefty Republican lean, and the GOP fielded Shannon Elswick, Anthony Sabatini, and Monica L. […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

Democratic U.S. Rep. Darren Soto has put himself on track for re-election with a surprisingly easy victory Tuesday night in the Democratic primary for Florida’s 9th Congressional District, stymying the comeback attempt by his predecessor, former U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson. Soto, a former Florida Senator who won a trip to Congress in 2016 after Grayson decided […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

State Rep. Mike Miller won a tough, three-way Republican primary Tuesday in Florida’s 7th Congressional District in convincing fashion for the right to take on Democratic U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy in an election battle over a region that Republicans owned for decades but is now trending blue. Miller, a two-term state representative from Winter Park, […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

Orange County Republican Party Chair Charles Hart got a taste of frustration some voters might experience trying to authenticate their identities by signing electronic tablets in polling places. Hart said that when he tried to sign in Tuesday at a voting station in Windermere, he nearly got rejected, based on a poll worker’s assessment that […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

Voting rates are “blowing past” previous years’ totals in Central Florida’s Orange and Seminole counties as big early-voting and mail-voting pushes are giving way to solid election day turnouts. That’s combined with a report from Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner that there appear to be no major issues statewide. “Today is Florida’s Primary Election and […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2018

Candidates up at dawn, waving signs on street corners, still planting campaign signs, trying to get through the day to their cheers-or-tears parties tonight. Primary Election Day. Orange County could elect a new mayor — and Jerry Demings is predicting a win — and a new chair of the Orange County School Board along with […]

Scott PowersAugust 27, 2018

Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson has endorsed Jerry Demings to become Orange County’s next Mayor, Demings campaign announced. Demings, the Orange County Sheriff, is facing businessman Rob Panepinto and Orange County Commissioner Pete Clarke in the non-partisan election Tuesday. “Jerry Demings is a trusted, respected leader who has spent his career keeping the people of Central […]

Orlando

Teresa Jacobs moving from Orange County Mayor’s office to School Board

Jerry Demings elected Mayor of Orange County

Rene Plasencia, Geraldine Thompson among winners in Central Florida House races

Anthony Sabatini, Cynthia Brown emerge from HD 32 primary election

Darren Soto vanquishes Alan Grayson in CD 9

Mike Miller wins, setting up match with Democrat Stephanie Murphy in CD 7

Top Republican while trying to vote: ‘That’s my signature!’

Central Florida seeing high voter turnout for primary elections

In Central Florida’s last minute campaigning, Jerry Demings predicting victory

Bill Nelson endorses Jerry Demings in Orange mayoral race