Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Scott PowersJune 2, 2017

For the third-straight year, Orlando has been denied local anti-terrorism money for not being a significant enough target under federal guidelines, exasperating Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings who has pushed federal officials to reconsider their decision-making process. Demings, as have other current and former members of Congress from Orlando, has been pushing U.S. Homeland Security […]

Scott PowersMay 23, 2017

The crisis of heroin and other opioids that is pounding Orlando, every part of Florida and every part of America might not be any easier to solve than it is to blame, as panelists from Orange County’s Heroin Task Force blamed doctors, middle schoolers and dealers. It’s a crisis that is causing three to five […]

Scott PowersMay 1, 2017

As the future race for Orange County mayor continues to be a mystery involving potential major candidates still thinking about it but none yet committing, one name that keeps coming up raises questions of precedent and interpretation of curious language differences in the county charter. Former Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, who served two-plus terms […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 17, 2017

Markeith Loyd, suspected in the killing of Master Sergeant Debra Clayton in a shootout last week, was caught after over a week of hunting by the Orlando Police Department Tuesday night. He’ll face multiple charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. Loyd has been the subject of a nine-day-long manhunt by the OPD as well as […]

Associated PressJanuary 10, 2017

Law enforcement officers in Orlando were engaged in a massive manhunt early Tuesday for a man accused of fatally shooting a police officer who approached him outside a Wal-Mart. The manhunt itself has led to the death of a sheriff’s deputy in a traffic accident and the injury of another officer. Master Sgt. Debra Clayton, […]

Scott PowersJanuary 2, 2017

A before-and-after time line now exists for Orlando – June 12, 2016 – and on this side of the Pulse massacre the city may be seen by the world and through its own citizens’ eyes as a very different place, with a new political perspective. Before June 12, Orlando was a city without an an […]

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, […]

Mitch PerryOctober 31, 2016

With the possibility Florida may finally pass a state law legalizing medicinal marijuana next week, advocates for the legislation say opponents of Amendment 2 are using “scare tactics” to try to persuade Floridians to reject the proposal. Specifically, they’re taking aim at the claims there is a danger of marijuana edibles ending up in their children’s […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 13, 2016

Florida police chiefs want voters to vote “No on 2.” The Florida Police Chiefs Association called on Florida voters to just say no to the 2016 medical marijuana constitutional amendment. The statewide organization joins several other law enforcement organizations and officials, including the Florida Sheriff’s Association, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings, and Palm Beach Sheriff Ric […]

Scott PowersOctober 6, 2016

Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs has ordered a countywide curfew starting tonight and running through Saturday morning, and Sheriff Jerry Demings said his patrols will be making sure only essential emergency drivers are on the roads. The curfew will run from 10 p.m. Thursday through 7 a.m. Saturday. Earlier, Seminole County declared a curfew running […]

Tag: Jerry Demings
Lake Mary’s team celebrates in the eighth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game against Taiwan. Florida won in eight innings 2-1. Image via AP.

Orlando denied federal anti-terrorism money again; Val Demings says ‘we are baffled’

Opioids epidemic crisis blamed on careless doctors, unsupervised children

As Orange County mayor’s race awaits major candidates, can Rich Crotty run again?

John Mina: ‘Great police work’ led to the capture of murder suspect Markeith Loyd

Orlando mourns deaths of 2 law enforcement officers

Politics in Orlando now takes place in a post-Pulse city

Meet Congresswoman-elect Val Demings of Orlando

Medical marijuana advocates slam ‘scare tactics’ of Florida Sheriffs Association and Drug Free America

Florida police chiefs oppose medical marijuana amendment

Teresa Jacobs declares curfew for Orange County