Note from Chairman

The West Orange Political Alliance (W.O.P.A.) applauds your decision to join the West Orange Chamber of Commerce (WOCC), an award winning and most dynamic Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida. The WOCC facilitates many opportunities and provides many benefits to its members, yet cannot endorse political candidates.

Understanding this, many people within the WOCC and the West Orange community realized the need for a political voice for West Orange. This led to the formation of W.O.P.A., a non-profit, non-partisan organization for West Orange County. This organization focuses on issues, and primarily seeking out and endorsing candidates in county, school board and state offices that will further the business interests of West Orange County.

W.O.P.A. is recognized and approved by the Florida Division of Elections as a Political Committee. It originated as a Committee of Continuous Existence since 1997 and was reformed in 2013 as a Political Committee (PC/PAC) to comply with legislative changes and the Division of Elections. W.O.P.A., governed by a board of up to 24 individuals, represents businesses and the West Orange Chamber. The Chairman-elect and President of the WOCC serve as ex-officio members of the board and the Chamber Board of Directors appoints an additional four board members each year.

Since its formation, W.O.P.A. has endorsed, supported and assisted in the election of key proponents of business and West Orange County. Candidates seek us out and understand the value of our endorsements for the furtherance of their campaign efforts. We are proud of our track record which includes the election of notable West Orange County residents; Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, Sheriff John Mina, County Commissioners Scott Boyd, Betsy VanderLey and Victoria Siplin, Supervisor of Elections Bill Cowles, OCPS Board Members Pam Gould and Linda Kobert, OCPS Chairman Teresa Jacobs, Representatives Kamia Brown and Bruce Antone, and State Senator Randolph Bracy.

In addition to supporting qualified and competent candidates, W.O.P.A. has taken on issues that have had the potential of creating economic disadvantages to our community. Most recently, we supported changes in the Orange County Charter that allow for non-partisan elections, term limits, and a more transparent initiative petition process. We were also victorious on our position to oppose the “paid sick leave” initiative that would have put Orange County at an economic disadvantage and added costs to employers of all sizes.

We invite you to make a voluntary contribution to W.O.P.A. With this contribution, W.O.P.A. will continue our work, while you are working on your business, to protect your business interests. Together, speaking with one voice on behalf of West Orange County, we will continue to be recognized as an organization that protects and promotes our best interests.

Sincerely,
Nick Asma
Chairman

Board of Directors

Nick Asma

Chairman

Michelle Strenth

Vice Chairwoman

Jeff Jonasen

Secretary

Leticia Adams

Kurt Ardaman

Chris Bailey

Melanie Becker

Derek Blakeslee

Kari Conley

Kim Dawson

Camille Evans`

Mark Griffith

Iliana Jones

Tim Keating

Jenny Martin

Gary Merideth

John Miklos

Jeff Milhausen

Dan Pollock

Charles Roper

Paul Sexton

Craig Swygert

Purpose

The purposes of this Corporation shall be as follows:

• To identify and monitor regulatory and legislative activity at the state and local levels which affect the economy and culture of West Orange County, Florida, and to seek to influence these activities in such ways as to bring benefit to the West Orange County community.
• To unite the West Orange County community to combine their efforts to promote the growth and development of the community.
• To support candidates for county and state offices (including school board and judicial candidates). The Corporation may not participate in the election of candidates for federal or municipal offices.
• To encourage well-qualified individuals who utilize principles of responsible free enterprise to meet the needs for sound growth and development in the West Orange County community.
• To stimulate a more active and effective role of the citizenry in government affairs.
• To raise funds and provide support to candidates, without regard to party affiliations.
• To participate in support of or opposition to local or statewide issues.
• To develop an intelligent, aggressive and serviceable organization to represent and support the business, civic, residential and community interests of West Orange County, Florida.
• To provide an opportunity to individuals for political expression and recognition, to train them as political workers and leaders, and provide a practical means by which they may contribute to the development and betterment of West Orange County businesses, residents and the community.
• To take all actions which are extensions of any of the foregoing purposes.

Endorsements

The West Orange Political Alliance, Inc. (WOPA) is a non-partisan political committee, the political action arm of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce, formed to represent the best interests of West Orange County is happy to announce the first round of endorsements for 2022.

Our endorsed candidates for the elections:

Orange County

• Jerry Demings – Mayor
• Christine Moore – District 2
• Mercedes Fonseca – District 4
• Roberta Walton Johnson – District 6
• Andrew Asher Bain – County Court Judge, Group 2
• Elizabeth Starr – County Court Judge, Group 8
• Amanda Sampaio Bova – County Court Judge, Group 9
• Elizabeth Gibson – County Court Judge, Group 17

Orange County Public Schools

• Teresa Jacobs – OCPS Board Chair
• Angie Gallo – District 1
• Maria Salamanca – District 2

Florida Ninth Judicial Circuit Court

• John Beamer – Group 14
• Vincent Chiu – Group 44

Florida House of Representatives

• Doug Bankson (R) – District 39
• Tiffany Hughes (D)- District 39
• Lavon Bracy Davis (D) – District 40
• Travaris McCurdy (D) – District 41
• Bruno Portigliatti (R) – District 45
• Allie Braswell (D) – District 45

Florida Senate

• Kamia Brown (D)- District 13

Initiatives

WOCC Board Supports OCPS One Mil Ad Valorem Renewal

WOCC Supports Orange County Transportation Initiative

Paid Political Advertisement by the West Orange Political Alliance, Inc. 12184 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, FL 34787 For information, call 407-656-1304.

Click here to see the results from the WOCC’s Hob Nob + Straw Poll 2022

Contribute

We invite you to make a voluntary contribution to WOPA and may do so by downloading the application below and mailing it to our address along with a $25 check:

WOPA

12184 West Colonial Drive

Winter Garden, FL 34787

Become a part of this political voice for West Orange.

To contact WOPA, please send an email to westorangepoliticalalliance@gmail.com

Download a copy of the 2020 WOPA Application here

Follow the new WOPA Facebook page for the latest news on candidate endorsements and supported causes!

The West Orange Political Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan organization formed to provide an active political voice in the interests of West Orange County. WOPA is governed by a set of by-laws approved by Florida’s Division of Elections.