Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJanuary 4, 2017

Wednesday is the day that Orange County’s voters figured they had turned their sheriff, tax collector, property appraiser, clerk of courts, supervisor of elections and comptroller into non-partisan, term-limited county officials – but it’s not happening. And it is unclear if it will ever happen. Late Tuesday Judge Bob Leblanc of Florida’s 9th Circuit Court […]

Scott PowersDecember 9, 2016

With his potentially-groundbreaking appointment to chair the Florida Senate Criminal Justice Committee, state Sen. Randolph Bracy is pledging to take an aggressive approach to criminal justice reform in Florida. The Orlando-area Democrat’s chairmanship, announced last week by Republican Senate President Joe Negron, is highly unusual for three reasons: because Bracy is a Democrat, a freshman […]

Scott PowersDecember 6, 2016

John Morgan has powerful split emotions about the prospect of running for governor in 2018 as a Democrat, and figures he has at least a year to decide. Morgan, the 60-year-old Orlando trial attorney who championed Florida’s Amendment 2 medical marijuana initiative this year, said others – not he – are pushing for him to run for […]

Scott PowersNovember 18, 2016

Of the three new members of Congress elected from Orlando this month, Democrat Darren Soto is the one who’s no mystery to constituents, and still committed to the same agenda he’s pursued for nearly 10 years in the Florida Legislature: a stronger, fairer economy. Soto, 38, an Orlando lawyer, defeated Republican businessman Wayne Liebnitzky for the open […]

Scott PowersNovember 15, 2016

Long before young Trayvon Martin‘s tragic death sent destabilizing shockwaves from Central Florida throughout America, long before Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter turned into a standoff, and certainly long before the divisive election campaigns of 2016, Democrat Val Demings was calling for unity in Orlando and in America. Now, thanks to her resounding victory last Tuesday, […]

Scott PowersNovember 10, 2016

Outside groups spent $8 million in Florida’s 7th Congressional District, mostly to help Democrat Stephanie Murphy oust Republican U.S. Rep. John Mica. Updated campaign finance documents filed with the Federal Election Commission this week show outside groups such as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democrats’ House Majority PAC combined to spend nearly $6.3 […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

The woman who likes to talk about herself as the daughter of a janitor and maid who grew up to be a police chief has now been elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Early returns based on early voting and mail-in voting, plus a small handful of precincts, shows Democrat Val […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

State Sen. Darren Soto’s dream of becoming the first Puerto Rican member of Congress from Florida became reality Tuesday when he swept aside an underfunded Republican opponent in what is now clearly Florida’s first Puerto Rican-dominated congressional district. Early returns based on early voting and mail-in voting, gave Soto an insurmountable lead over Republican nominee […]

Scott PowersNovember 4, 2016

The United Farm Workers and one of its founders, legendary organizer and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, have jointly endorsed state Sen. Darren Soto‘s bid for Congress in Florida’s 9th Congressional District, his campaign announced. For Huerta, whose activism and organizing date to her being an organizing partner of César Chávez in the 1950s and […]

Scott PowersNovember 4, 2016

Democratic nominee Darren Soto has collected $42,200 in large checks for his bid to be elected in the Orlando-based Florida’s 9th Congressional District since he filed his last full campaign finance report stating he had raised $1 million overall and had $83,000 in the bank. Soto’s opponent, Republican nominee Wayne Liebnitzky has neither the starting […]

Tag: Democrat

Orange County’s charter amendments falling silently; despite election, no changes in county offices

Randolph Bracy intends to be aggressive toward reform as Senate Criminal Justice Committee chair

John Morgan torn on possible governor run, and in no hurry

For Darren Soto, it’s still all about a stronger, fairer economy

Meet Congresswoman-elect Val Demings of Orlando

$8 million spent by outside groups in CD 7, mostly to help Stephanie Murphy upset John Mica

Former Orlando Police Chief Val Demings heading for Congress

Darren Soto wins CD 9, gives Florida its first Puerto Rican congressman

United Farm Workers, Dolores Huerta endorse Darren Soto in CD 9

Darren Soto draws $42K in big checks in closing weeks of CD 9 race