Orlando

Scott PowersSeptember 2, 2016

Many of Central Florida’s November election contests likely were decided in Tuesday’s primary, because of the strong partisan leans of voters or the apparent mismatches of nominees, but there are a few that will be worth watching this fall if for no other reason than absolute entertainment. Reflecting the gains Democrats have made in voter […]

Scott PowersSeptember 2, 2016

Republican nominee Dean Asher has won the endorsement of the Greater Orlando Builders Association PAC in his bid for Florida’s Senate District 13, his campaign announced Friday. “The majority of our members are small business owners just like Dean. It is important to our members that we have legislators who understand the role fall business […]

Scott PowersAugust 31, 2016

Thuy Lowe has made it into Cosmo. The Republican nominee in Florida’s 10th Congressional District, based in Orlando, is profiled on Cosmopolitan.com as one of “19 Women Who Will Make History if Elected to Congress This Year.“ To do that, Lowe, a retired businesswoman from Sorrento, will need to beat Democratic nominee Val Demings in […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

Coach P is heading for another victory lap. Republican state Rep. Rene “Coach P” Plasencia narrowly defeated a surprisingly strong challenger in Florida’s House District 50 Republican primary Tuesday, gathering 52 percent of the vote to George Collins’ 48 percent. Plasencia, who won election in 2014 to represent neighboring House District 49, switched districts last fall, […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

Kamia Brown has won easy election to the Florida House, beating four Democratic rivals in a House District 45 election that became the final contest when no one but Democrats qualified for the ballot. Brown, a former legislative aide to state Rep. Victor Torres, drew 35 percent of the vote; compared with 20 for Gregory […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

State Rep. Victor Torres has held off a challenge from a Kissimmee businessman to win the Democratic primary for Florida’s Senate District 15. “The people did it,” Torres said Tuesday night. “They came out to vote. Big numbers. I am most heartily grateful to them [especially] with this weather.” A retired police detective and bus […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

Former state Rep. Mike Clelland’s sizable campaign bankroll proved no match for former state Rep. Linda Stewart‘s indomitable ground game in east Orange County, as Stewart captured the Senate District 11 Democratic primary. “I walked myself so silly, I bet you we covered 6,000 doors,” Stewart said Tuesday night. “I know we called through 10,000 […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

State Rep. Randolph Bracy has won the Democratic nomination to the Florida Senate in the Orlando-based Senate District 11. Bracy held off three Democratic challengers including former state Sen. Gary Siplin to win in an election that all but assures he will win the seat outright in November. There are two write-in candidates, forcing a general […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

Aramis Ayala stunned incumbent State Attorney Jeff Ashton Tuesday night in the Democratic primary to all but win election to the post in Florida’s 9th Judicial Circuit, covering Orange and Osceola counties. Ayala pummeled Ashton 57 percent to 43 percent in a race in which just a month ago she still was a relative unknown […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

State Sen. Darren Soto took perhaps the biggest step Tuesday in his quest to become the first Hispanic from Central Florida and the first Puerto Rican from the state to be elected to Congress by rolling toward victory the Democratic primary in Florida’s 9th Congressional District. St. Cloud businessman Wane Liebnitzky, who easily won the Republican […]

Orlando
One of several proposed designs for Florida's new Margaritaville license plates. Image via the office of Rep. Linda Chaney.

Previewing the hot general election campaigns in Central Florida

Dean Asher gets Orlando builders’ endorsement in SD 13 contest

CD 10 Republican Thuy Lowe makes it into Cosmo

Rene ‘Coach P’ Plasencia pulls out GOP primary win in HD 50

Kamia Brown captures HD 45 seat

Victor Torres cruises to victory in SD 15 Democratic primary

Linda Stewart walks over Mike Clelland’s bankroll to win primary in SD 13

Randolph Bracy wins primary in SD 11

Aramis Ayala unseats Jeff Ashton to win JC9 state attorney

Wayne Liebnitzky, Darren Soto to face off in CD 9