Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersMarch 20, 2017

Republican state Rep. Bob Cortes called late Monday for Gov. Rick Scott to reassign all potential death penalty cases under the jurisdiction of State Attorney Aramis Ayala and to suspend her from office. Cortes, who was among the first critics of Ayala’s “no death penalty” policy announced last week, said in a letter to Scott […]

Scott PowersMarch 10, 2017

Republican candidate David Smith has started his run for Florida House District 28 with a personal $25,000 loan to his campaign. Smith, of Winter Springs, is running to replace state Rep. Jason Brodeur, who is term-limited out in 2018, in a district that covers east Seminole County. The former Marine colonel and modeling and simulation […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

The social fallout from Puerto Rico’s multi-fasceted financial crisis must be dealt with in more immediate ways in Central Florida where so much of the diaspora is fleeing, a panel of scholars urged key Puerto Rican political leaders in Orlando Friday. Their call for concern for recognizing, assisting, and empowering Puerto Ricans settling by the […]

Scott PowersFebruary 3, 2017

State Rep. Bob Cortes is “exploring” the possibility a run for Congress in Florida’s 7th Congressional District. On Friday morning, Cortes confirmed reports he was in Washington D.C. for a couple of days early this week talking to officials at the National Republican Congressional Committee and others about a possible run in CD 7 in 2018. If […]

Staff ReportsJanuary 23, 2017

It’s going to be a busy few weeks for Florida Republicans. House Majority announced fundraising events for seven House Republicans, all of which are running for re-election in 2018, between Jan. 24 and Feb. 20. The fundraising kicks off on Tuesday with an event for Rep. Bob Cortes. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 […]

Scott PowersJanuary 4, 2017

Vowing to do everything he can to prevent another terrorist attack like the June 12 Pulse nightclub massacre, Gov. Rick Scott pushed for nearly $6 million to create a new counter-terrorism and law enforcement intelligence task force in Florida. “Terror, like we saw in the attack on the Pulse nightclub, is a threat to our state, […]

Scott PowersJanuary 2, 2017

A before-and-after time line now exists for Orlando – June 12, 2016 – and on this side of the Pulse massacre the city may be seen by the world and through its own citizens’ eyes as a very different place, with a new political perspective. Before June 12, Orlando was a city without an an […]

Larry GriffinDecember 19, 2016

A new bill filed by House District 30 Rep. Bob Cortes, HB 107, would make it more difficult for cemeteries to move graves without telling the deceased’s loved ones. Cortes said the bill’s purpose is to keep families in the know about any occasion where a cemetery might move the grave of a loved one in a […]

Larry GriffinDecember 15, 2016

A new bill filed by Rep. Bob Cortes would allow parents who have miscarriages to get a certificate to properly mourn their child. Dubbed the “Grieving Families Act,” the bill would allow parents of a birth that is deemed unviable and dies before 20 weeks into the pregnancy to have a certificate made for them […]

Scott PowersDecember 12, 2016

While no one from Central Florida will be chairing full committees in the Florida House of Representatives this spring, several local representatives will be chairing key subcommittees, Health Care Appropriations, Tourism & Gaming Control, and Local, Federal & Veterans Affairs. The committee appointments came down Monday from House Speaker Richard Corcoran. State Rep. Mike La […]

Tag: Bob Cortes
Image via AP.

Bob Cortes calls for Rick Scott to suspend Aramis Ayala, reassign all her capital cases

David Smith starts Florida House run with $25K loan; David Santiago, Mike La Rosa raise $21K

Puerto Rico crisis panel brings it home to Florida

Bob Cortes ‘exploring’ possible congressional run in CD 7

Lawmakers look to raise money during upcoming legislative committee meeting weeks

Rick Scott wants to hire counterterrorism agents

Politics in Orlando now takes place in a post-Pulse city

Bob Cortes files bill to require cemeteries to notify next-of-kin before moving graves

Bob Cortes files ‘Grieving Families Act’ to allow certificates for miscarried children

Central Florida reps pleased with tourism, health care subcommittee chairs