CFHLA PAC Announces Bi-Partisan Endorsements For State Races Across Central Florida

The Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association’s (CFHLA) Political Action Committee (PAC) and Political Committee (PC) announced their first round of endorsements for state races in the 2026 election cycle. The bipartisan slate includes ten candidates running for the Florida Legislature to represent Lake, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola counties.
 
These endorsements include:
 
Florida House of Representatives
Florida Senate, District 10 – Jason Brodeur (R)
 
Florida House of Representatives
Florida House of Representatives, District 25 – Nan Cobb (R)
Florida House of Representatives, District 35 – Erika Booth (R)
Florida House of Representatives, District 36 – Rachel Plakon (R)
Florida House of Representatives, District 38 – Emily Duda Buckley (R)
Florida House of Representatives, District 39 – Doug Bankson (R)
Florida House of Representatives, District 40 – RaShon Young (D)
Florida House of Representatives, District 43 – Samuel Vilchez Santiago (D)
Florida House of Representatives, District 46 – Jose Antonio Alvarez (D)
Florida House of Representatives, District 47 – Jorge H. Figueroa Ortiz (D)
 
“Central Florida’s hospitality industry generates an enormous economic impact for the State of Florida, and we support candidates who recognize this as a top priority,” said Jay Leonard, Chairman of the CFHLA PAC and PC and General Manager of the Wyndham and Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area. “We are pleased to endorse this bipartisan group of state candidates for the 2026 election cycle because they understand that a strong tourism industry creates jobs, fuels small businesses, enhances the visitor experience, and strengthens the long-term economic success of our communities.”


Robert Agrusa, President and CEO of the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, added, "Central Florida's hospitality and tourism industry depends on strong leaders who understand the importance of maintaining our destination’s competitive edge, investing in our workforce and infrastructure, and advocating for policies that fuel economic opportunity. Each of these state candidates recognize the tremendous impact that our industry has on Florida's economy and are committed to helping the Central Florida region remain the nation's premier destination for visitors, businesses, and the more than 468,000 hospitality professionals who power our success every day."
 
The 2026 Primary Elections will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and the 2026 General Elections will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
 
About Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association
 
The Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association’s mission is to represent the Central Florida Hospitality Industry, by setting the standard of excellence through advocacy, collaboration, education, recognition, and service.
 
As the largest regional lodging association in the United States, CFHLA represents more than 151,000 hotel rooms throughout the Central Florida Region (including but not limited to Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, and Seminole counties) and more than 500 "supplier" organizations that do business with the hospitality and tourism industries.
 
For more information on the Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association, please visit www.cfhla.org.
 
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