Glades County is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census,the population was 12,126,making it the fourth-least populous county in Florida. Its county seat is Moore Haven.
Okeechobee County is a county located in the Florida Heartland region of the state of Florida. As of the 2020 census,the population was 39,644. The county seat is Okeechobee.
Florida's 18th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress,located in the Florida Heartland. In the 2020 redistricting cycle,the district was redrawn to cover inland counties of DeSoto,Glades,Hardee,Hendry,Highlands,and Okeechobee,as well as most of Polk County and some of Immokalee in Collier County. It is essentially the successor to the old 15th district. The district is currently represented by Republican Scott Franklin.
Florida's 17th congressional district is an electoral district for the U.S. Congress,located in Southwest Florida. In the 2020 redistricting cycle,the district was shrunk to only include the coastal counties of Sarasota and Charlotte as well as northeastern Lee County,including most of Lehigh Acres. Other inland counties which were previously in the district were instead redistricted into the new 18th district.
John David Alexander,known as J. D. Alexander or JD Alexander is a businessman and former Florida Republican politician from Lake Wales. From 2002–2012,he served in the Florida Senate,representing almost 500,000 residents of the 17th district,which included all of Hardee and Highlands and parts of DeSoto,Glades,Okeechobee,Polk,and St. Lucie counties. Previously,he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002. Alexander has also been the CEO of Atlantic Blue Group and Alico.
The Florida Heartland is a region of Florida located to the north and west of Lake Okeechobee,composed of six inland,predominantly rural counties—DeSoto,Glades,Hardee,Hendry,Highlands,and Okeechobee. In 2020,The US Census Bureau recorded the population of the Florida Heartland region at 251,927. The most populous county in the region is Highlands County. Highlands County also contains the region's two largest cities - Avon Park and Sebring. Unlike the coastal areas to the east and west,the rural nature of the Florida Heartland is culturally similar to that of the Florida panhandle and the Deep South in general rather than the rest of South Florida. The Florida Heartland region was originally settled and inhabited by Americans of predominantly English ancestry during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. While located in Palm Beach County,the nearby rural cities of South Bay,Belle Glade and Pahokee as well as the census-designated place of Lake Harbor,located on the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee,are more associated with the Florida Heartland than the remainder of South Florida. The same could also apply to the Collier County communities of Immokalee,Ave Maria and Harker as well as to the Martin County community of Port Mayaca. Occasionally included are the southern Polk County communities of Fort Meade,Frostproof and River Ranch as well as Yeehaw Junction in Osceola County.
Ken Pruitt is an American politician who served as a member of the Florida Senate. A Republican,he represented the 28th District from 2000 to 2009,which included portions of Indian River,Martin,Okeechobee,Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties. He was previously a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1990 through 2000.
Dennis K. Baxley is a state legislator in Florida who served in the Florida Senate from 2016 to 2024. A Republican,he represents the 12th district including Sumter County and parts of Lake County and Marion County in Central Florida. He previously served in the Florida House of Representatives,representing parts of Marion County from 2000 to 2007 and again from 2010 until his election to the Senate in 2016. He served on the Belleview City Commission and as its mayor.
The 2004 United States Senate election in Florida took place on November 2,2004,alongside other elections to the United States Senate in other states as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Bob Graham decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Graham made an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. The primary elections were held on August 31,2004. Republican Mel Martínez won the open seat with 49.4% of the vote to Democratic nominee Betty Castor's 48.3%. With a margin of 1.1%,this election was the closest race of the 2004 Senate election cycle. This was the first open-seat United States Senate election in Florida for this seat since 1974.
Benjamin Lee Cline is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 6th congressional district since 2019. A member of the Republican Party,he represented the 24th district in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2002 to 2018.
The 2000 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 7,2000,on the same date as the U.S. House of Representatives and presidential election. Incumbent Republican Senator Connie Mack III decided to retire instead of seeking a third term. Democrat Bill Nelson won the open seat,even as Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush narrowly triumphed over Al Gore in the state by a mere 537 votes.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Florida was held on November 6,2012,alongside a presidential election,other elections to the House and Senate,as well as various state and local elections. The primary election was held August 14,2012. Incumbent Senator Bill Nelson won reelection to a third term,defeating Republican U.S. Representative Connie Mack IV by 13%,winning 55% to 42%. Nelson defeated Mack by over 1 million votes.
Jason T. Brodeur is a Florida State Senator representing the 10th district,which consists of Seminole and a small part of Orange County. Before the redistricting that took effect with the 2022 election,he represented the old 9th district. A Republican,Brodeur previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2010 to 2018. From 2010-2012,he represented the 33rd District. During his final six years in the Florida House,Brodeur represented the 28th District,which consists of eastern Seminole County. He also served as the president and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber,which advocates for pro-business practices in Seminole County and across the state of Florida.
William Gregory Steube is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 17th congressional district since 2019. His district is based in Sarasota. A member of the Republican Party,Steube served three terms in the Florida House of Representatives,representing the Sarasota-Manatee area from 2010 to 2016,as well as two years in the Florida Senate until 2018,representing Sarasota County and the western part of Charlotte County.
Wilton Earl Simpson is an American politician who has served as the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture since 2023. From 2012 to 2022,he served as a member of the Florida Senate,representing areas around Citrus,Hernando,and Pasco Counties. He was elected Senate President for the 2020–2022 legislature.
The 2018 Florida Commissioner of Agriculture election occurred on November 6,2018,to elect the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. Incumbent Republican Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam was term-limited and could not seek a third consecutive term. Democrat Nikki Fried narrowly defeated Republican Matt Caldwell. Fried became the only statewide elected Democrat in Florida,as U.S. Senator Bill Nelson,who had held Florida's Class I U.S. Senate seat since 2000,lost re-election.
James Cord Byrd is an American attorney and Republican politician serving as the secretary of state of Florida. Previously,he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives,representing Nassau County and part of Duval County from 2016 until his appointment as secretary of state.
In the elections to the Florida State Senate that were held on November 6,2018,20 of the 40 seats were contested in regular elections and two seats in special elections. The winners of the 20 regular elections will serve four year terms from November 6,2018,to November 6,2022,and the winners of the two special elections will serve two year terms from November 6,2018,to November 6,2020.
The 2022 elections for the Florida State Senate took place on Tuesday,November 8,2022,to elect state senators from all 40 districts. Although on ordinary years,20 senators are elected at a time on a staggered basis,races following redistricting elect all 40 members to ensure that each member represents an equal number of constituents. The Republican Party expanded their Senate majority from 24 to 28,gaining a supermajority in the Senate. The concurrently held House elections also resulted in a supermajority,giving Republicans supermajority control of the legislature.
The 2024 elections for the Florida Senate took place on Tuesday,November 5,2024,to elect state senators from 20 of 40 districts. The Republican Party has held a Senate majority since 1995.
