Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jacob OglesOctober 13, 2018

State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith, an Orlando Democrat, accepted an onstage engagement proposal from longtime partner Jerick Mediavilla at Orlando Come Out With Pride. Smith, Florida’s first gay Latino member of the Florida Legislature, was on stage for the annual Pride Rally at Lake Eola Park on Saturday evening when Mediavilla surprised him by getting […]

Scott PowersSeptember 24, 2018

Democratic state Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith raised $10,050 in the first two weeks of September keeping his campaign’s cash fund ahead of that of Republican challenger Ben Griffin who added $7,000 in early September in the Flordia House District 49 race. Smith, of Orlando, has now raised $108,695 and spent $42,482 of that, according to the […]

Scott PowersNovember 8, 2016

Amy Mercado and Carlos Guillermo Smith — two former chairs of the Orange County Democrats — will be entering the Florida House of Representatives after easy victories over independent candidates Tuesday. Mercado replaces her father, Victor Torres, in representing Florida House District 48. Torres was elected to the Florida Senate Tuesday in Senate District 15. Smith wins Florida […]

Scott PowersAugust 18, 2016

Democrats Hillary Clinton, Darren Soto and Val Demings and Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio all won commanding straw poll victories at Tuesday night’s Political Salsa event in Orlando, organizers announced late Wednesday. Clinton got 49 to Republican Donald Trump‘s 39 percent in the presidential question, with Libertarian Gary Johnson grabbing 8 percent and Green Party […]

Scott PowersAugust 15, 2016

This is the year that Central Florida gays step boldly into the political spotlight, joining an increasingly large outpouring of gay candidates statewide. Four openly gay Orlando-area Democratic candidates are running for election in federal and state races this year; Valleri Crabtree in Florida’s 9th Congressional District centered in south Orlando and Kissimmee; Bob Poe in […]

Scott PowersJanuary 13, 2016

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has endorsed Carlos Guillermo Smith in the Orlando-based House District 49 race, Guillermo Smith’s campaign announced Wednesday. Guillermo Smith, like Dyer a Democrat, so far is running unopposed, either in his primary or headed toward the general election. He is seeking to fill the seat currently held by state Rep. Rene […]

Frank TorresAugust 31, 2015

The field of candidates is down to one in House District 49, after one potential challenger said she won’t be running and a filed candidate withdrew over the weekend. Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration regional director Betsy Franceschini confirmed late Friday that she would not be running for the east Orlando seat that includes the University […]

Frank TorresAugust 24, 2015

Carlos Guillermo Smith announced endorsements from 13 sitting Democratic members of the Florida House on Monday morning, in his bid to be the next representative from House District 49. The list includes State Reps. Lori Berman, Randolph Bracy, Dwight Dudley, Joseph Gellar, Evan Jenne, Shevrin Jones, Dave Kerner, Amanda Murphy, Bobby Powell, Kevin Rader, Richard […]

Frank TorresAugust 10, 2015

Orange County Democratic Executive Chairman and House District 49 candidate Carlos Guillermo Smith raised about $12,500 in July to bring his campaign haul to $34,000 for his first two months on the trail. Smith has over $31,000 of it on hand. Smith’s lone opponent Gus Martinez has not had any significant fundraising activity, nor does he […]

Tag: florida house district 49
Mike Johnson. Image via AP.

Carlos Guillermo Smith gets engaged at Orlando Pride

Carlos Smith picks up $10K in re-election bid against Ben Griffin

Amy Mercado, Carlos Guillermo Smith win Florida House seats

Political Salsa: Hillary Clinton, Marco Rubio, Darren Soto, Val Demings win straw poll

The year of the openly gay candidate in Central Florida and other parts of Florida

Buddy Dyer endorses Carlos Guillermo Smith in HD 49

2 possible contenders pass on HD 49 run

Carlos Smith rolls out endorsements from 13 House Democrats in House 49 race

Carlos Smith raises $12.5K during July for HD 49 race