We’re starting off our year celebrating the life and works of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement.

The 33rd annual Arthur "Pappy" Kennedy Prayer Breakfast starts with a powerful message.

Representative-elect Maxwell Frost of Florida, the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, says he is struggling to get an apartment in Washington and lost an application fee because his credit is “really bad.”.

Sen. Marco Rubio has won a third term in the U.S. Senate as Florida’s senior senator.

Democratic candidate Maxwell Frost won in his U.S. House District 10 race, making him the first member of Generation Z to do so, according to the Associated Press.

Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio has won a third term, defeating U.S. Rep. Val Demings and holding a key seat as the GOP tried to regain control of a closely divided Senate.

Amid Republican gains in the U.S. House races in Florida, Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost has become the first member of Generation Z to win a seat in Congress.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings visited a Coral Springs community center Thursday, calling for passage of “common sense” gun control laws and calling out her challenger, incumbent Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, for not supporting them.

The number of registered Republicans voting early is running about neck and neck with Democrats in the traditional Democratic stronghold of Miami-Dade County.

Election Day in Florida could be when the state goes red.

President Joe Biden has lashed out at Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “Donald Trump incarnate,” zeroing in on a potential 2024 GOP presidential contender as he campaigns for Democrats facing uphill fights in next week’s midterm election.

Black women political candidates across the nation are up for office during the upcoming midterms, with dozens running in competitive races and potentially shattering glass ceilings.

At times these days, it can feel like the United States is on edge about threats to American democracy.

Democrats are increasingly concerned that Florida may be slipping away this fall — and perhaps beyond — as emboldened Republicans seize on divisive cultural issues and demographic shifts in crucial contests for governor and the U.S. Senate.

U.S. Rep Val Demings is leaving her congressional district to run for U.S. Senate. That means U.S. House District 10 is an open seat this year.

President Joe Biden is telling voters that he hasn’t given up on lowering gasoline prices.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Demings of Florida went on the attack in her first debate against Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, accusing him of being a serial liar, while Rubio criticized her for supporting President Joe Biden’s economic agenda.

For the first and only time, tonight Republican Senator Marco Rubio is set to square off against U.S. congresswoman Val Demings for the U.S. Senate seat.

U.S. Senate terms in office last for six years, and Sen. Marco Rubio’s second term is nearly finished. He is running for re-election to his third term in the senate as Florida’s senior senator.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio says an initial assessment of federal assistance needed to help Floridians recover from Hurricane Ian comes to about $33 billion.

Democrats in Florida are trying to make inroads with Latino voters by focusing on gun safety.

Sen. Marco Rubio has signed onto Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill to restrict abortion to 15 weeks across the country.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is transferring $15 million from his campaign account to his party’s candidates, incumbents and political committee for the fall election.

The candidates are Jack Achenbach, Jeffrey Boone, Randolph Bracy, Corrine Brown, Maxwell Frost, Terence Gray, Alan Grayson, Natalie Jackson, Khalid Muneer and Teresa Tachon.

The candidates were Lateresa Jones, Tuan Le, Thuy Lowe, Willie Montague, Peter Weed and Calvin Wimbish.

Four Democrats vied to see who will take the party’s nomination and challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in the November general election.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Florida, putting him in position to challenge Gov. Ron DeSantis this fall in a campaign that the Republican incumbent is eyeing as the first step toward a potential White House run.

Tuesday’s primary elections feature two top Florida Democrats squaring off for the right to face Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The candidates are Jack Achenbach, Jeffrey Boone, Randolph Bracy, Corrine Brown, Maxwell Frost, Terence Gray, Alan Grayson, Natalie Jackson, Khalid Muneer and Teresa Tachon.

The candidates are Lateresa Jones, Tuan Le, Thuy Lowe, Willie Montague, Peter Weed and Calvin Wimbish.

Four Democrats are vying to see who will take the party’s nomination and challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio in the November general election.

Florida's primary election is nearly one month away, and one of the most competitive races is for U.S. House District 10.

Civil rights leader and trailblazing educator Mary McLeod Bethune has became the first Black person elevated by a state for recognition in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.

The woman behind the Central Florida tip hotline that's been getting results for decades

Alan Grayson, who was a member of Congress from 2009 until 2017, joined anchor Justin Warmoth on "The Weekly" to lay out his platform and why he decided to run for Congress again.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida received $775,000 in federal funding for one of its training programs.

With Florida's primary election less than two months away, candidates are ramping up their campaigns.

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was met with swift condemnation and equally swift praise from lawmakers in Florida.

With about two months before Florida’s primary, the most exciting event to watch outside the Democratic nomination for governor is the mad scramble to fill congressional seats.

Corrine Brown, a former congresswoman for the Orlando area, is hoping to get back into office again.

Alan Grayson, the Democrat who represented part of Orange County for several years in Congress, is hoping to make a comeback.

Demings formally filed to run for U.S. Senate Tuesday in Tallahassee.

Several U.S. senators introduced a new bill Monday called the “Urgently Feeding America’s Babies Act,” which would direct President Joe Biden and his administration to invoke the Defense Production Act in response to the ongoing baby formula shortage.

Many saying it’s been more than two weeks since their appointment date at the office, but the backlog has them still waiting. People simply trying to stay in the U.S. and obtain employment.

President Joe Biden has an election year message for frustrated voters: At least he’s trying.

Iowa was Barack Obama’s unlikely launching pad in 2008 to become the nation’s first Black president.

Dozens of Black Democratic candidates are seeking office in heavily Republican states that former President Donald Trump won easily in 2020.

The county is closing the sites at the South Orange Youth Complex and the Econ Soccer Complex on March 19.

Republican missteps that include intense infighting are threatening the GOP’s path to the Senate majority.

The Florida Division of Elections website shows Ayala filed to run for the position Wednesday.

One of Orlando Public Library’s most popular events is returning this year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began: the African American Read-In.

A senior Republican lawmaker has apologized for using an expletive when Democratic Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio asked him to put his mask on while in the Capitol.

The Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority’s LYNX bus service announced Tuesday it was awarded a $300,000 as part of a national program for transportation projects.

It was announced Friday that Orange County would receive a $7.5 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which will fund efforts to prevent future flooding in the county's Orlo Vista neighborhood.

With Thursday marking one year since the U.S. Capitol attack, members of congress from Central Florida recall what they experienced that day.

The Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection by pro-Trump supporters and right-wing group members shattered the sense of security that many had long felt at the Capitol as rioters forcefully delayed the certification of President Joe Biden’s election victory.

Around three dozen Democrats were trapped in the House gallery on Jan. 6 after the rest of their colleagues had been evacuated, ducking beneath their seats as supporters of former President Donald Trump laid siege.

A year after the Jan. 6 insurrection, some of the lawmakers who were trapped in the upper House balcony that day are still recovering from lingering trauma.

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Murphy says she will not seek reelection next year.

Beverlye C. Neal, a woman who had a heart for civil rights and rose through the ranks of politics in Central Florida, has died at 74.

The $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill was signed by President Biden earlier this month.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is taking Big Business to task.

The once-a-decade battle over redistricting is set to be a showdown over the suburbs.

About a half-dozen police chiefs and high-ranking law enforcement officers are running for higher office more than a year after George Floyd’s murder prompted debate over police reform and whether to slash law enforcement funding.

The tragedy in Surfside, Florida, is exposing voters to a different side of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis as he prepares for a reelection bid next year that could propel him into a presidential campaign.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church, a denomination that says it has "justice in its DNA,” has launched its General Conference.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has taken a formal step toward sending a bill to President Joe Biden that designates the site of the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in American history as a national memorial.

The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to make Pulse nightclub a national memorial site.

U.S. Rep. Val Demings has launched a bid for the U.S. Senate, raising hope among Democrats of ousting Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio from the evenly divided chamber.

Val Demings makes it official.

Black women are stepping up as Democratic candidates for governor and the U.S. Senate as the party looks to expand its footprint in Sun Belt battlegrounds.

As he heads into his 2022 reelection campaign, Florida's Ron DeSantis has emerged from the political uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic as arguably the country’s most prominent Republican governor.

Three candidates have thrown their hat into the ring for U.S. Rep. Val Demings’ seat in Congress.

Rep. Stephanie Murphy (Fla.-D) won't be seeking to defeat Sen. Marco Rubio in 2022 for his seat in the U.S. Senate.

A published report says U.S. Rep. Val Demings is planning to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by Marco Rubio.

Rep. Val Demings is planning to challenge Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, giving Democrats a boost in a competitive 2022 race that could decide control of the Senate.

The House of Representatives passed a bill on Wednesday to make Pulse nightclub a national memorial site.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Rep. Val Demings hosted a virtual town hall on Wednesday with Dr. Anthony Fauci and local health experts to help answer constituents’ questions regarding the pandemic. They’re all really very good.”AdSome wanted to know how much longer we will have to wear masks and practice social distancing. Fauci said even as more people get vaccinated, the pandemic isn’t over yet. We’re going to be able to pull back on that soon but not quite yet,” Fauci said. Orange County health officer Dr. Raul Pino also joined in on the virtual call, as well as representatives from FEMA and local pharmacies administering the vaccine.

WASHINGTON – The recent mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder have renewed calls for Congress to act on gun control. U.S. Representative Val Demings joined anchor News 6 Justin Warmoth on “The Weekly on ClickOrlando.com” to discuss legislation she believes will reduce gun violence in America and whether President Joe Biden should take action. Watch the full interview on “The Weekly on ClickOrlando.com” with Justin Warmoth in the video player at the top of this story. Watch “The Weekly” on Sundays at 7:30 a.m. on News 6. Click or tap here to see other interviews and discussions.

ORLANDO, Fla. – The newly approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now being distributed at the FEMA vaccination site in Orlando. I texted my daughter ‘I just got the single-dose Johnson and Johnson so I am good to go,’” she said. People are busy and I just wanted to do it with one thing.”Szczech said each FEMA site is receiving 6,000 J&J doses per week. She said 500 doses will be used each day at the main site with another 500 going to one of the satellite sites. With the addition of the J&J vaccine, the Orlando FEMA site is also increasing its daily capacity to 3,000 doses total, according to Tim Beattie, with the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

City agencies in Arlington, Texas, have been cut by up to 8%, with officials bracing for more later this year. AdA bipartisan group of mayors notes that aid should be the easy part. A Republican, Williams has joined Democratic Mayor Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, to lead the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ lobbying effort for local aid. State and local lobbies tried again in a second round of COVID-19 aid but were left out altogether. AdMayors attributed the rebuff to McConnell blocking state and local aid as leverage against Democrats who opposed Republicans’ provision to shield businesses' immunity from lawsuits related to COVID-19.

ORLANDO, Fla. – As Orlando’s first Black female police chief, U.S. Rep. Val Demings knows something about making history. Last month, she had the opportunity to witness it when Vice President Kamala Harris was inaugurated. “It’s almost like when she raised her hand and took the oath, time just kind of stood still,” Demings said. AdAnd while it was Harris who would eventually take the oath as vice president, the two women have a lot in common. Demings said seeing all of this unfold is a reminder the American dream is alive.

Biden is expected to address the National Prayer Breakfast, a Washington tradition that calls on political combatants to set aside their differences for one morning. The breakfast has sparked controversy in the past, particularly when President Donald Trump used last year's installment to slam his political opponents and question their faith. Ad“For so many in our nation, this is a dark, dark time,” Biden told those watching the event. During the 2020 breakfast, Trump singled out Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, who had voted to convict the president during his first impeachment trial. The event went entirely virtual this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, with Biden and all other speakers appearing via taped remarks.

ORLANDO, Fla. – U.S. Rep. Val Demings hinted she is open to serving in public office beyond the U.S. House of Representatives. During an interview with News 6 anchor Ginger Gadsden, the congresswoman expressed her intent to remain in public service, seemingly open with any opportunities that come her way. “I will continue to do what I have always done when I make decision(s) about next moves. Demings also served as a House impeachment manager during former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial. “We’ll decide whether that’s in the House or move to a different place.

With a significantly smaller crowd for Wednesday’s presidential inauguration, lawmakers from the Sunshine State will still represent Florida at the historic event. I will be attending the inauguration of President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris today. 3:15 p.m. | Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris and Emhoff receive a presidential escort to the White House. 8:48 p.m. | Biden, Dr. Biden, Harris and Emhoff attend “Celebrating America” program. 9:55 p.m. | President Biden and Dr. Biden appear on the Blue Room Balcony.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The inaugural audience will be a lot smaller this year, but some Central Florida lawmakers will be in attendance. As members of the 117th Congress, Democrat Representatives Darren Soto, Stephanie Murphy, and Val Demings are expected to be in attendance. Congressman Darren Soto of Kissimmee said the nation’s Capitol was secure on the eve of the inauguration of the 46th president. [TRENDING: Fla. leads nation in cases with new COVID variant | 12-year-old Orlando girl still missing | Biden inauguration will be different]“The Capitol is very secure. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said that he will be attending the inauguration as a guest of his wife, Congresswoman Val Demings.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached for a second time after the House voted that he should be held accountable for inciting a mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6. As news spread Wednesday afternoon of the second impeachment, leaders across Florida, including those who were involved in the vote, reacted swiftly. “Today I voted to impeach the president for his role in inciting last week’s violent insurrection in Washington, D.C.“I love our country. “Last week, attackers incited by President Trump wounded dozens of Capitol Police officers and killed one while trying to overturn our democracy. “You know, I’m proud both Democrats and Republicans voted to hold the President accountable for his actions.

President Donald Trump became the first president to be impeached twice on Wednesday. Murphy noted 10 republicans voted to impeach Trump in the House vote. Waltz voted to not impeach President Trump. The charge states President Trump endangered the security of the United States and the institutions of Government. It will take a 2/3 majority vote in the Senate to convict President Trump.

Officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of his injuries sustained while engaging rioters at the CapitolWASHINGTON – The police were badly outnumbered. One Capitol Police officer, Brian Sicknick, died Thursday night from injuries suffered during the riot. Another disturbing video shows a bloodied police officer screaming for help as he’s crushed by protesters inside the Capitol building. In one stunning video, a lone police officer tries to hold off a mob of demonstrators from cracking into the lobby. Still, the riot — and Sicknick's death — focused renewed attention on Capitol Police, a force of more than 2,300 officers and civilian employees that protects the Capitol, lawmakers, staff and visitors.

Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. The tragedy deepened late Thursday as a Capitol police officer injured in the melee died, the fifth death related to the riot. The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement that Officer Brian D. Sicknick died from injuries sustained responding to the riot on Wednesday at the Capitol. The procedure allows for the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet to declare the president unfit for office. Black lawmakers, in particular, noted the way the mostly white Trump supporters were treated.

Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., stops to look at damage in the early morning hours of Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, after protesters stormed the Capitol in Washington, on Wednesday. ”Make no mistake: these mass riots were not First Amendment activities; they were criminal riotous behavior. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening. D.C. police said Thursday that 68 people were arrested, while Capitol police said 14 were arrested, most for unlawful entry. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a former police chief, said it was “painfully obvious" that Capitol police “were not prepared” for what took place Wednesday.

WASHINGTON – US Representative Val Demings said she was in the gallery of the house chambers when they were told the inside of the capitol building had been breached. Demings said that her goal was to be watchful, but helpful as police worked to move them to another location. — Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) January 7, 2021“I was looking into the eyes of my colleagues and we all were not sure how it would end. Her husband, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said that for a brief time during the chaos, he couldn’t reach his wife. “We went through the emotional rollercoaster not knowing if she was safe or not,” Jerry Demings said.

(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)WASHINGTON – Lawmakers are vowing an investigation into how law enforcement handled Wednesday’s violent breach at the Capitol, questioning whether a lack of preparedness allowed a mob to occupy and vandalize the building. U.S. Capitol Police, who are charged with protecting Congress, turned to other law enforcement for help with the mob that overwhelmed the complex and sent lawmakers into hiding. Both law enforcement and Trump supporters deployed chemical irritants during the hourslong occupation of the complex before it was cleared Wednesday evening. Three other people died after suffering “medical emergencies” related to the breach, said Robert Contee, chief of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department. Rep. Val Demings, D-Fla., a former police chief, said it was “painfully obvious" that Capitol police "were not prepared for today.

[TRENDING: Trump supporters storm Capitol | How to get vaccine in Fla. | Vaccines given to rich donors?] Pictures and videos on social media show thousands of rioters waiving flags, shouting profanities and acting violent toward Capitol police. Florida lawmakers and other officials also took to Twitter and Facebook to express their thoughts on the situation. Jeb BushThe President has provoked the disgusting events at the Capitol today. And I’m disappointed as an American, I’m an American first, I’m a Floridian second, and I’m a lifelong resident of Orange County.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Dozens of supporters filled Lake Eola on Saturday afternoon in support of President-elect Joe Biden, after projections from Nevada and Pennsylvania put the former vice president’s ticket over the top. She campaigned for Biden and was vetted for vice president on his ticket. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have a plan for that. The historic election with Kamala Harris as the first woman vice president, the first African American female vice president just really means America is living up to its promise. This is really what the American dream is all about.”Congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden & Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Democratic incumbent Val Demings has been declared the winner of the U.S. House District 10 race. [LIVE RACE RESULTS: Scroll to bottom of story to see all race returns]U.S. House District 10 View All CandidatesRACE DETAILS BELOWThree candidates were in the running to represent Florida’s 10th Congressional District, which includes west Orange County. Here’s how to track your ballot]Prior to incumbent Rep. Val Demings winning the 2016 election, the House seat had been held by Republicans. Val Demings (D)Congresswoman Demings, born in Jacksonville, is the youngest of seven children. She especially wants voters to know she’s not a politician.

— District 3: Republican Kat Cammack has won Florida’s U.S. House seat held by her former boss, retiring Florida Republican Rep. Ted Yoho. He defeated Democrat Donna Deegan, a former television news anchor who has worked to raise money for breast cancer research and to help patients. — District 15: Republican Scott Franklin has won Florida Rep. Ross Spano’s seat in the U.S. House. Deutch was first elected in 2010 and represents a firmly Democratic district that includes parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties. A supermajority of Florida voters approved the amendment to the Florida Constitution that will raise Florida’s minimum wage from the current $8.56 an hour to $15 an hour by 2026.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Three candidates are currently in the running to represent Florida’s 10th Congressional District, which includes west Orange County. Here’s how to track your ballot]Prior to incumbent Rep. Val Demings winning the 2016 election, the House seat had been held by Republicans. Here’s what you need to know about the candidates:Vennia Francois (R)Francois is an attorney who is a Central Florida native and first-generation American. She and her husband, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, have three sons and five grandchildren. She especially wants voters to know she’s not a politician.

ORLANDO, Fla. – One the third day of early voting, Congresswoman Val Demings and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings joined other voters at the Amway Center on Wednesday. The two were able to cast their ballot and are encouraging residents in Orange County to do the same despite the pandemic. Mayor Jerry Demings described his voting experience inside the Amway Center and said things went smoothly and safely. First day of early voting kicked off on Monday with 20 voting locations opening in Orange County. The mayor explained so far the majority of Orange County voters have voted by mail.

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)