Orlando

Terry RoenNovember 8, 2016

Incumbent Republican state Rep. Bob Cortes won another two years in House District 30 by defeating political newcomer Ryan Yadav. Cortes gathered 39,304 votes, or 53 percent, ahead of Democrat Yadav’s 34,324, or 47 percent of the vote. “This is the culmination of two years of hard work,” said Cortes. “I knew it was going to […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Facing light competition, state Reps. Jennifer Sullivan, Jason Brodeur, John Cortes, and Bruce Antone cruised to re-election to Florida House seats in Central Florida Tuesday. Brodeur, a Republican from Sanford, won his fourth term in the House, defeating independent candidate Steve Edmunds in House District 28, by 64 percent to 36 percent. Sullivan, a Republican from […]

Terry RoenNovember 8, 2016

Attorney Michael Barber won the District 1 seat in Orange County’s Soil and Water Conservation race. The former assistant state attorney beat Environmentalist Maria Bolton-Joubert and Star Grayson, Congressman Alan Grayson’s daughter, for the win. Barber garnered 159,987 votes or 42 percent of the vote over Bolton-Joubert’s 145,714 (38 percent), and Grayson’s 76,628 (20 percent). “I […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Republican State Rep. Rene Plasencia switched districts and won again Tuesday, in Orlando-based House District 50. Plasencia, a high school teacher and track coach, defeated Democrat Sean Ashby, also a teacher and track coach at a rival high school, 47 percent to 43 percent. Plasencia, who lost the Brevard County portion of the district in […]

Larry GriffinNovember 8, 2016

The race for Senate District 15 pitted Victor Torres against Peter Vivaldi, and Torres, a Democrat, came out on top. Torres won with 56 percent of the vote to Vivaldi’s 44 percent. Torres was at odds with Vivaldi’s conservatism, with Vivaldi, a youth minister, being strongly opposed to abortion and picking up a slew of endorsements […]

Larry GriffinNovember 8, 2016

Mike Miller won re-election for his House District 47 seat Tuesday night against opponent Beth Tuura. Miller has actually been something of an underdog in House District 47, campaigning for re-election in an area where both Democrats and independents outnumber Republicans in registration. Miller tends towards a more moderate view on the environment than some of his colleagues, […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

U.S. Rep. John Mica’s 24-year congressional career has ended representing the largely suburban, largely Republican constituency north of Orlando, thanks to voters in new parts of his district. With all but one precinct fully reported in Orange and Seminole Counties, and all early and mail-in votes counted, Democrat Stephanie Murphy has defeated Mica in a close […]

Larry GriffinNovember 8, 2016

In Senate District 13, Linda Stewart swept the polls with 58 percent of the vote, topping opponent Dean Asher‘s 41 percent. Asher was a self-described moderate Republican, and Stewart a progressive Democrat. Asher’s focus was mostly on jobs and allowing small businesses to thrive. He presented himself very much as the sensible, community-minded Republican. Stewart, meanwhile, is a progressive focused […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Facing only write-ins or independent candidates. Randolph Bracy, Dennis Baxley, and Dorothy Hukill cruised to victories for seats in Florida’s Senate Tuesday. Bracy, a Democratic state representative from the Orlando suburb of Oakland, made official what had been just needing a formality in the Orlando-based state Senate 11 seat, collecting virtually all the votes against […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Tuesday night’s election was just a formality, but now it has become official: upstart Democratic candidate Aramis Ayala of Orlando was elected state attorney in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, making her the first African-American state attorney in Florida’s history. Ayala effectively won the race when she upset incumbent Jeff Ashton in the Democratic primary in August because there were […]

Orlando

Bob Cortes wins Seminole County’s House District 30

Jason Brodeur, Jennifer Sullivan, John Cortes, Bruce Antone return to House

Orlando attorney wins seat on Soil & Water Conservation

Rene Plasencia wins in HD 50

Victor Torres defeats Peter Vivaldi to win Senate District 15 seat

Mike Miller wins HD 47 against opponent Beth Tuura

Stephanie Murphy topples John Mica in CD 7

Linda Stewart defeats Dean Asher to win SD 13 seat

Randolph Bracy, Dennis Baxley, Dorothy Hukill cruise to state Senate victories

Aramis Ayala becomes first black state attorney in Florida’s history