Wind of Change Blow Through Parts of Central Florida
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
By: Mark Simpson

Aug 14, 2012 | WMFE - Perhaps the biggest change to come out of Tuesday's primary fights was the victory of former state prosecutor Jeff Ashton over his longtime boss Orange Osceola state attorney Lawson Lamar. Speaking to supporters in downtown Orlando, Lamar said he was proud of the work he accomplished over nearly 25 years. .

Lamar took a small jab, though, at victor Jeff Ashton, 20 “We’re bound by the truth, we told the truth at all points. It wasn’t flashy, it was solid. It didn’t work tonight in the election. But that’s just the new way. It’s the new power of the social media, it’s the power many times of publicity over hard work.”

Ashton campaigned on a platform of making changes to the way the office operates, a point he emphasized when speaking to supporters Tuesday evening in Orlando. “I am coming back in January to come back to my family.  There will be changes, not as many as people think, but I am looking forward to getting that office back on track where I think it should be.”

Ashton takes office in January.

Mica Looks Headed for Another Term

In the Congressional District 7 fight between incumbent republican John Mica and Sandy Adams, Mica won the battle he called, “the fight for the soul of the republican party.”

Mica was elated as he addressed supporters; “I wanna tell you that this is a horrible system that the founders created, but don’t let them change it, it’s the best system on the face of the earth.”

Freshman Sandy Adams challenged Mica after her congressional district was moved south due to legislative reapportionment earlier this year.

During her concession speech Tuesday night, Adams said she was proud of her accomplishments while in office,  “What we were able to do was bring the conversation back to conservative values and that’s where it needs to stay. We need to be considering and talking about and focusing on the economy, jobs and the American people.”

The newly-drawn,Republican-leaning district 7 covers most of Seminole County along with parts of Orange and Osceola.

Mica will face democratic newcomer Jason Kendall in November.

With Long Primary Winner, Grayson Revs for November

In last night’s Congressional District 9 primary conservative republican Todd Long emerged in the GOP primary as the winner over establishment candidate and Osceola County Commissioner John Quiones.

Long says he’s looking ahead to the general election and is ready to face democratic opponent, former Congressman Allan Grayson;  There was a reason he lost by 18 points last time and served only one term and that was because he went up to congress not to solve problems, not to work with people, just to be a character assassin and get his 15 minutes of fame.”

Meanwhile democrat Allan Grayson wasted no time lashing out at Long’s conservative platform. “ He wants to take our 7% sales tax and add on top of 23% federal sales tax .  Todd Long is full of ideas and they’re all bad. They’re no good for our people and people are going to reject them as soon as they learn what they’re all about.”

Grayson was unopposed as the only democrat running in the newly created Congressional voting district.