Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Larry GriffinJune 15, 2016

After the Pulse nightclub shooting last weekend, Florida Democratic lawmakers made it public Wednesday morning: they’re calling on Gov. Rick Scott and Senate President Andy Gardiner for a special legislative session to try and pass laws to ban suspected terror suspects from buying guns. Sen. Darren Soto, Rep. John Cortes, Sen. Geraldine Thompson and others gathered in […]

Staff ReportsJune 8, 2016

For many kids in Florida, summer is a carefree time of hiding from the scorching sun in a pool or a shaded hammock. But, as a growing area of study shows, summer is the season when the country’s most underprivileged students begin to fall behind their peers, as access to publicly funded meals and stimulation […]

Mitch PerryApril 7, 2016

Progress Florida has unveiled their “Champions of Florida’s Middle Class” for 2016,” consisting of 14 House Democrats and four Senate Democrats. There are no Republicans on the list. The progressive activist group is celebrating these Democrats for their stances on fracking bans (HB 191/SB 318), public schools (HB 7029), reproductive health care (HB 1411/SB 1722), guns on campus […]

Scott PowersFebruary 18, 2016

State Rep. John Cortes of Kissimmee has endorsed state Sen. Darren Soto in his bid to seek the Democratic nomination to run for Congress in Congressional District 9, which includes Kissimmee. Cortes’s house district is largely contained within Soto’s Senate district, and in CD 9. “Darren Soto is exactly the kind of representative Central Florida […]

Bill RuftyJanuary 30, 2016

Darren Soto was the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be elected to the Florida Senate. The Orlando Democrat, a commercial and civil rights attorney, is now working to become the first in the U.S. Congress from Florida by winning the 9th Congressional District But he has an array of competing Democrats with more […]

Ryan RayAugust 10, 2015

It’s more than a year out from 2016 legislative elections, normally a quiet time when warring factions retreat to their camps and use the odd-numbered year to strategize and keep their powder dry. But with recent drama surrounding the race for the 2021-22 speakership, state party infighting involving sitting House Rep./RPOF Chairman Blaise Ingoglia and an imminent […]

Mitch PerryJuly 16, 2015

As Michael Kinsley writes in the current Vanity Fair, all politicians say they are going to work to help the middle class. In a new report from Progress Florida, the progressive group says that there were 12 Democrats in the state Legislature who were “champions” for the middle class, based on their votes during the […]

Ryan RayJanuary 7, 2015

A pair of newly-minted state representatives has made it official: Democrat John Cortes of Kissimmee and Eucheeanna Republican Brad Drake have opened campaign accounts for their 2016 state House campaigns. Drake, probably best known for his eccentric views on capital punishment, took over term-limited Marti Coley’s District 5 seat back in November, winning handily over Libertarian […]

Tag: John Cortes

Florida Democrats call for special legislation to ban terror suspects from buying guns

Lawmakers hosting Farm Share events as summer sets in for Florida’s needy

Progress Florida names 18 Democrat lawmakers as “Champions of Florida’s Middle Class”

John Cortes endorses Darren Soto in CD 9 race

Darren Soto running in interwoven race for 9th Congressional District

2016 House field continues to shape up in central Florida, Tallahassee

Progress Florida hails 12 House Democrats as championing “Middle Class Champs”

Freshman Reps. Brad Drake, John Cortes file for 2016 re-election