ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) – Outgoing Orange County Democratic Party Chairman Juan Lopez hosts his final Holiday Party with fellow party members at the Lakeside Recreation Center in Orlando, Monday night, December 1, 2016.
In August 2015, Lopez was elected Chairman of the Orange County Democratic Executive Committee, replacing at the time chairman Carlos Smith, who planned to run for State House Seat 49 covering east Orange County.
Lopez leaves the DEC at a high point with major wins during the 2016 general election. Democrat and political newcomer Stephanie Murphy defeats 12-term Republican US Representative John Mica. State Senator Darren Soto and former Police Chief Val Demings won U.S. House seats. Former State Representative and progressive Democrat Linda Stewart defeated a better-funded Republican Dean Asher to take Senate DistrOrange Countyict 13 seat.
In addition, all Constitutional Officers will be Democrats starting January 2017:
- Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings won re-election
- Orange County Clerk of the Court Tiffany Moore Russell won re-election
- Orange County Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles won re-election
- Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph won re-election
- Orange County Property Appraiser Rick Singh won re-election
- Orange County Comptroller is former City Commissioner Phil Diamond
Lopez will not seek re-election and plan to work in Washington, D.C., he told Florida National News at the holiday party.
Among the elected officials attending the Holiday party were newly elected State Senator Victor Torres, Jr., newly elected State Representative Amy Mercado, newly elected State Representative Carlos Guillermo Smith, newly elected State Representative Kamia L. Brown, Florida Soil & Water Conservation District 4 Supervisor Eric Rollins, Florida Soil & Water Conservation District 2 Supervisor Daisy Morales, Orange County Taxs Collector Scott Randolph, Orange County District 5 Commissioner-elect Emily Bonilla, and Apopka City Seat 1 Commissioner Billie Dean.
Orange County Democratic Executive Committee will hold elections on December 3, 2016