Orlando

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 […]

Scott PowersAugust 30, 2016

If there is vindication in politics, Val Demings is enjoying it Tuesday night, though she would never acknowledge it. The former Orlando Police chief, dubbed years ago as the next big rising star in Central Florida Democratic politics, handily won the Democratic primary to be the nominee in Florida’s 10th Congressional District. “I am so humbled […]

Associated PressAugust 30, 2016

A mother called 911 for help as she texted with her son, who was trapped inside the Pulse nightclub. A sister told a dispatcher that her 20-year-old brother also was trapped, in a bathroom at the gay club, and that “he said there were a lot of dead people.” People were texting, calling and video-chatting […]

Associated PressAugust 30, 2016

Even though he’s not running for re-election, U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson has very personal connections to the campaign in his Florida district. His new wife is facing off against his former district director for the Democratic nomination in the 9th Congressional District at the end of the month, and they also face a state senator […]

Scott PowersAugust 29, 2016

Democratic House District 47 candidate Henry Lim is crying foul over a mailer primary opponent Beth Tuura sent out this weekend declaring that Lim was arrested on a gun charge. Lim was arrested Nov. 5, 2015, when security found a loaded handgun in his bag while he attempted to enter a federal building in Miami, but […]

Scott PowersAugust 29, 2016

Heading into the final weekend before the primary, Democratic congressional candidate Bob Poe lent his campaign another $100,000 Friday, bringing his personal investment to just over $2 million in his bid for election in Florida’s 10th Congressional District. Poe vowed from the start to fund much of his campaign and so far the self-made millionaire entrepreneur has bankrolled virtually […]

Associated PressAugust 28, 2016

The more than 430 fundraisers posted on the GoFundMe website after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando have exposed weaknesses inherent in these popular do-it-yourself charity campaigns: waste, questionable intentions and little oversight. The fundraisers — an average of more than four for each of the 49 killed and 53 wounded — […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2016

Democratic state Rep. Victor Torres is putting some last-minute light between him and Kissimmee businessman Bob Healy in last-month advertising for the Florida Senate District 15 primary. Torres, who has always had a commanding war chest compared with Healy, dropped $33,000 on advertising in the first couple weeks of August and still had $87,000 more […]

Peter SchorschAugust 28, 2016

The final campaign finance reports before Florida’s Aug. 30 Primary Election are in and Victor Torres, Randolph Bracy, and Mike Clelland have held on to their leads in Central Florida’s Senate seats. Clelland is facing fellow former Rep. Linda Stewart and Rick Roach in the Democratic Primary for Senate District 13, and he was able to raise another $83,775 across his campaign and […]

Orlando
Jacksonville developer Patrick Zalupski leads a group to buy the Rays, aiming for a new Tampa stadium.

Aramis Ayala unseats Jeff Ashton to win JC9 state attorney

Wayne Liebnitzky, Darren Soto to face off in CD 9

Val Demings earning big CD 10 Democratic primary victory, vindication

911 calls: ‘Gunshots going like crazy’ in Pulse nightclub

Alan Grayson looms large in race to succeed him in U.S. House

Henry Lim calls Elizabeth Tuura mailer ‘false’ in gun charge claim

Bob Poe rolls another $100K loan into his campaign

Scams, waste loom as charity millions donated after Orlando shooting

Victor Torres with big late push in SD 15 Democratic primary

Central Florida legislative fundraising leaders stay ahead in days before primary