Orlando Weekly Voting Guide 2020: Meet the incumbent state senators and their challengers in Orange County's Districts 11, 13 and 15

Orange County has three Florida Senators, representing Districts 11, 13, and 15, all of them Democrats. State senators serve four-year terms, and are term-limited to eight years — the better to ensure lobbyists and political parties can replace them, rather than letting the citizens keep senators they like. Oh, Florida!

Florida Senate District 11

Randolph Bracy – Democrat, Orlando (Incumbent)
Occupation: One-term Florida state senator, business owner
Legislative priorities if re-elected include fixing Florida’s broken unemployment system, reforming the criminal justice system, expanding Medicaid
Serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice as Vice Chair

Joshua Eli Adams (Republican, Orlando)
Occupation: Attorney
Anti-gun control, anti-abortion and anti-hairstyles being a “civil right”
Ready to “defend First Amendment speech rights against those in academia, media and politics who seek to silence conservatives”
"Do not allow sanctuary cities in Florida"
"Refocus commitment to short and long term institutionalization of those suffering Habitual Homelessness, Drunkenness, Substance Abuse, Mental Illness, and other Violent Sycosis" [sic]
"Defend Florida’s coastline through beach restoration and flood mitigation."

Florida Senate District 13

Linda Stewart – Democrat, Orlando (Incumbent)
Occupation: State senator, former state representative
Long record of service to her district
Serves on committees for Appropriations, Commerce and Tourism, and Infrastructure and Security

Josh Anderson – Republican, Orlando
Occupation: Pyrotechnician
First-time candidate, mentored by Longwood mayor Matt Morgan
Moderate Republican balancing fiscal conservatism with environmental concerns, criminal justice reforms and the need to revamp Florida’s unemployment system

Florida Senate District 15

click to enlarge

• Photo via Vic Torres for Florida Senate
• Florida Sen. Vic Torres

Victor M. Torres Jr. – Democrat, Orlando (Incumbent)
Occupation: State senator
Will be term-limited out in 2024
Serves on committees for Education, Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee
Strong ties to organized labor and workers’ rights issues
Priorities include expanding Medicaid, overhauling Florida’s unemployment system, raising the minimum wage


Mike James – NPA, Kissimmee
Occupation: Diesel truck and trailer repair, first-time candidate
“Fight socialism at every corner”
Candidate is dressed like superhero in illustration on website

Louis T. Minnis Jr. – Republican, Gotha
Occupation: Retired sheriff's deputy
Originally from Columbus, Ohio, and has lived in Orlando since 1987
Minnis supports restrictions on abortions.
"Everyone, including our black and hispanic citizens deserve equal protection under the law related to our criminal justice system, including law enforcement. After serving 21 years of service as an [sic] black law enforcement deputy for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando, Florida – Lou Minnis developed an understanding on both sides."


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