Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJune 23, 2017

Stark differences of policy positions were evident between the one Democrat and three of the four Republicans running to fill the open Florida House District 44 seat but the differences between the Republicans proved more subtle in a debate Friday, boiling down to who claimed the strongest ownership of particular GOP positions. The debate sponsored […]

Scott PowersJune 20, 2017

With the noon closing bell on ballot qualifying, House District 44 is left with four Republicans and one Democrat qualifying for a special election that could determine far more than who represents western Orange County in the Florida Legislature. The Republican primary election will be Aug. 15. The general election will be Oct. 10. This […]

Scott PowersJune 19, 2017

Days after filing as a candidate, Democrat Nuren Haider said Monday evening she is pulling out of a run for the Florida House District 44 seat up for a special election this summer in Orange County. The qualifying deadline is Tuesday at noon, and Haider said Monday that she has decided to not qualify. She is vice […]

Scott PowersJune 19, 2017

Orlando businessman Bruno Portigliatti qualified for the ballot Monday for the upcoming special election in Florida’s House District 44, giving the Republicans four qualified candidates for the Aug. 15 primary. Portigliatti, of Orlando, is chief executive officer of Excellence Senior Living, a developer of luxury assisted living facilities for seniors, and executive vice president of Florida […]

Scott PowersJune 16, 2017

Businessman and Kissimmee chamber of commerce executive John Newstreet has qualified by petition as a Republican candidate running in the special election to fill the Florida House District 44 opening for west Orange County. And in the same district, a second Democratic candidate now has filed, Nuren Durre Haider of Orlando, who is vice chair […]

Scott PowersJune 13, 2017

Republican candidate John Newstreet‘s campaign is reporting that it has raised more than $30,000 in the first 11 days since he announced his run for the open seat in Florida House District 44. Newstreet is reporting a total of $30,576 through the end of May in a news release, though neither he nor the other […]

Scott PowersJune 7, 2017

Republican Bobby Olszewski has become the first qualified candidate for the special elections set for later this year to fill the vacant seat for House District 44 in western Orange County. Olszewski’s campaign said it collected more than 400 petition signatures and on Wednesday the Orange County Supervisor of Elections certified 370, enough to put […]

Scott PowersMay 23, 2017

Call him former state Rep. Eric Eisnaugle now. The Republican from Windermere announced his resignation would come on the last day of Florida’s Legislative Session to accept an appointment to Florida’s 5th District Court of Appeals, but delayed the actual departure until late last week. With his now official resignation — spelled out in a […]

Scott PowersMay 22, 2017

Republican businessman Bruno Portigliatti announced his candidacy for what will be a special election this summer for House District 44 in the Orlando area. Portigliatti, 29, of Orlando, is chief executive officer of Excellence Senior Living, a developer of luxury assisted living facilities for seniors, and executive vice president of Florida Christian University, a global […]

Scott PowersMay 19, 2017

The special election race for Florida’s House District 44 became clearer Friday morning when former Orange County Commissioner Scott Boyd said he has decided to not run and will back Republican John Newstreet instead. “Solid guy, absolutely the best qualified individual for this position,” Boyd declared of Newstreet in a message to Orlando-Politics.com. Newstreet, the […]

Tag: House District 44
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

HD 44 special election candidates debate health care, education, marijuana, tourism support

Four Republicans, one Democrat qualify to run in HD 44 special election

Democrat Nuren Haider withdrawing from HD 44 special election

Fourth Republican, Bruno Portigliatti, qualifies for HD 44 special election

John Newstreet qualifies by petition, second Democrat enters HD 44 race

John Newstreet raises $30,000 in early days of HD 44 special election race

Bobby Olszewski qualifies by petition for HD 44 special election

Eric Eisnaugle makes House departure official

Fourth Republican, Bruno Portigliatti, enters HD 44 race

Scott Boyd declines HD 44 race, backs John Newstreet