Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersSeptember 13, 2017

Democratic Paul Chandler withdrew Wednesday from the Oct. 10 special election set for Florida House District 44, making the already heavily-favored Republican nominee Bobby Olszewski even more so. The move, which caught both elections’ and Democratic party officials by surprise, is the latest in the Chandler saga. In the last five weeks his eligibility was […]

Scott PowersSeptember 5, 2017

If Republican nominee Bobby Olszewski wasn’t such a prohibitive favorite, the upcoming special election for Florida House District 44 would be filled with intrigue. The Democratic nominee, Paul Chandler, is an affable man, a former teacher and a successful businessman with strong backgrounds in education and the intricacies of health care money, two of the Democrats’ […]

Scott PowersAugust 29, 2017

The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association’s Political Action Committee has announced its endorsements for this fall’s elections including that of Republican Bobby Olszewski for the special election to fill House District 44 in southwest Orange County. The association’s PAC also endorsed all three Orlando City Commission incumbents, Jim Gray in District 1, Robert Stuart […]

Scott PowersAugust 28, 2017

The first absentee ballots are going into the mail Monday evening for the Oct. 10 House District 44 special election and Democrat Paul Chandler is on them. And late Monday, Chandler told Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles that he’s is not resigning from the ticket, Cowles said. Chander said he will announce what […]

Scott PowersAugust 25, 2017

A defiant and angry Paul Chandler declared Friday he has not withdrawn from the House District 44 special election and is weighing his options as he and the Democratic Party reach open warfare over the party’s wish to replace him. Chandler had said in a press release and on social media on Tuesday that he […]

Scott PowersAugust 24, 2017

As Orange County Democrats wait for the chance to name a replacement for Paul Chandler to run in the Oct. 10 special election to fill the House District 44 seat they may yet face a challenge on that candidate’s eligibility. On Thursday, at a forum hosted by the Tiger Bay Club of Central Florida, the […]

Scott PowersAugust 24, 2017

As Democratic party officials await the chance to name a replacement candidate for the House District 44 special election in October, a candidate has filed to run for that seat when it’s up next year for a full term. Dawn Marie Antonis, 51, of Winter Garden, filed late Wednesday as a Democrat to run in […]

Scott PowersAugust 22, 2017

Ex-Democratic House District 44 candidate Paul Chandler said late Tuesday he had no intention of withdrawing from the race and was confident he could win both a legal challenge and the special election itself — until state party officials whom he said had never supported him threatened to sabotage his campaign if he didn’t quit. […]

Scott PowersAugust 21, 2017

The Republican primary for House District 44 may have deeply split support from top Republicans but now that Bobby Olszewski has won he’s bringing much of that together behind his special election campaign. Olszewski’s campaign announced a fundraiser set for the evening of Aug. 30 that will feature the current speaker of the Florida House […]

Scott PowersAugust 18, 2017

Democratic House District 44 special election candidate Paul Chandler might use the “Bev Kilmer” defense as part of his efforts to overcome a challenge to his residency qualifications to run in this fall’s special election. Chandler, from Lake Buena Vista, faces Republican Bobby Olszewski, from Winter Garden, in the Oct. 10 special election to fill […]

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Sen Rick Scott in Sarasota. Photo by Jacob Ogles.

Democrat Paul Chandler withdraws from HD 44 special election

House District 44 special election features intrigue

Hotel association endorses Orlando incumbents, Bobby Olszewski

Absentee ballots for HD 44 special election include Paul Chandler

Paul Chandler not withdrawing from HD 44 special election, weighing options

Eligibility of Democrat for HD 44 special election might yet be challenged

Democrat Dawn Antonis files to run for HD 44 in 2018

Paul Chandler: I didn’t jump off HD 44 race, I was pushed

Bobby Olszewski HD 44 fundraiser packed with Republican leaders

Paul Chandler’s HD 44 campaign confident he’ll overcome residency challenge