Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2017

A House of Representatives panel approved a bill that would award $750,000 from Orange County to a man injured when his motorcycle was struck by a county work van in 2006. The award, if it receives ultimate approval by the Florida Legislature, is far less than the $2.9 million awarded to Robert Allan Smith in […]

Danny McAuliffeDecember 4, 2017

A proposal seeking to fund affordable housing programs in the wakes of Hurricanes Irma and Maria could be underfunded by Gov. Rick Scott’s proposed budget. The policy recommendation, submitted by Altamonte Springs Republican state Rep. Bob Cortes, was mentioned in passing Monday at the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness meeting. Cortes’ proposal […]

Scott PowersNovember 29, 2017

Political involvement is in D. Clark Anderson‘s blood. The 64-year-old Democrat from Winter Park hadn’t acted on it in a big way — until now, filing this week to run for the Florida House of Representatives District 30 seat. Anderson has spent much of his life and career in computers, specifically in cyber security for […]

Danny McAuliffeNovember 17, 2017

A select group of lawmakers will be focused on specific, hurricane-related policy recommendations over the next two weeks. Each member of the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness on Friday was assigned a specific area of focus. Chair Jeanette Nuñez, a Miami Republican, grouped the issues into categories following the five educational meetings held […]

Scott PowersNovember 13, 2017

Note: a previous version of this story inaccurately reported the campaign finances of Lee Mangold, Democrat running in House District 29 in northern Seminole County. Republican State Rep. David Santiago led all Central Florida candidates for the Florida House of Representatives in October fundraising drawing in $21,000 for his re-election bid in Florida’s House District […]

Scott PowersNovember 9, 2017

The results of Tuesday night’s elections for the Longwood City Commission – with three new commissioners elected to office – has spurred state Reps. Scott Plakon and Bob Cortes to file a bill that would strip cities from having any approval of cardrooms at pari-mutuel facilities such as dog tracks. Longwood is home to the […]

A.G. GancarskiOctober 26, 2017

On Thursday, the House Select Committee on Hurricane Response and Preparedness heard about issues affecting Florida during Irma, including petroleum supplies and electric utilities. This informational meeting set the table for the future of the committee, with no action items Thursday. Wes Maul, the interim director of the Division of Emergency Management, addressed fuel shortages. […]

Scott PowersOctober 16, 2017

State Rep. Bob Cortes went to Puerto Rico Monday to oversee a disaster relief effort arranged by Florida House Speaker Richard Corcoran and coordinated by him and other members of the Seminole County Legislative Caucus. Cortes, a Republican from Altamonte Springs, is overseeing delivery of about four tons of supplies headed for the hard-hit eastern part […]

Scott PowersSeptember 26, 2017

State Reps. Rene Plasencia and Bob Cortes announced the creation of a bipartisan legislative team starting with two dozen Florida lawmakers seeking ways to assist Puerto Rico in its recovery from Hurricane Maria. Besides Cortes and Plasencia, Central Florida Republicans who both have Puerto Rico heritage, the “FL2PR Response Team” also includes Republican David Santiago […]

Scott PowersSeptember 19, 2017

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Duke Energy not only missed its deadlines for restoring power in Seminole and Orange counties and elsewhere but glitches in its information system provided little and often wrong information to customers, leading its lobbyist to apologize and promise better to Seminole’s lawmakers Tuesday morning. Duke, once faced with 1.3 million customers without power following Hurricane […]

Tag: Bob Cortes
Biden speaks about reproductive rights in Tampa. Image via AP.

House panel approves $750K to man injured in Orange County wreck

Hurricane proposal could clash with Rick Scott’s budget

Clark Anderson following his mother’s footsteps, seeking HD 30 seat

Focus areas doled out for hurricane committee

David Santiago leads all Central Florida House candidates in October fundraising

Longwood city election spurs bill to strip cities of control of cardroom gambling

House hurricane committee mulls what went wrong during, after Irma

Bob Cortes heads for Puerto Rico on relief mission organized through speaker’s office

Bipartisan Florida for Puerto Rico legislative effort assembled

Duke Energy acknowledges problems, apologizes in Seminole County