Senator Linda Stewart Contact information

Linda Stewart, born on November 23, 1948, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a Democratic member of the Florida Senate. She represents the 13th district, which includes northeast and central Orange County, since 2016. Before her tenure in the Senate, she served one term in the Florida House of Representatives, representing central Orange County from 2012 to 2014.

Stewart moved to Florida in 1950 and attended Valencia Community College. She later pursued European independent studies abroad. Her career experience includes working as an insurance agent. She co-founded Mothers Against Racing in the Streets and has served as the chair of the Orange County Parks and Recreation Board, as the chairwoman of Countywatch, and on the board of directors of the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council.

In 1998, Stewart ran for the Orange County Commission against incumbent Commissioner Clarence Hoenstine and Mary Wilson, Juan R. Bruno, and Anthony Rizzuto, receiving 21% of the vote. Stewart ran against Hoenstine again in 2002, and defeated him in a one-on-one contest with 51% of the vote. She was elected to a second and final term on the Commission against Jennifer Thompson, JP Quinones, and Martin Collins in 2006, again receiving 51% of the vote.

Following Rich Crotty’s inability to run for another term as Mayor of Orange County, Stewart ran to succeed him in 2010. In a crowded four-candidate race that included Matthew Falconer and fellow Commissioners Teresa Jacobs and Bill Segal, Stewart placed third with 19% of the vote, losing to Jacobs and Segal and failing to qualify for the runoff election, which Jacobs would later win in a landslide.

When Florida House of Representatives districts were reconfigured in 2012 and incumbent State Representative Scott Randolph decided to seek the Chairmanship of the Florida Democratic Party rather than seek re-election, Stewart ran to succeed him. She was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and faced former State Representative Bob Brooks, the Republican nominee, in the general election. A contentious general election ensued, with Stewart attacking “Brooks’ support for school vouchers and his conservative social politics, saying he’s too far right for a district trending Democratic.” Ultimately, Stewart narrowly defeated Brooks, winning with 52% of the vote, and was sworn in later that year to her first term.

Stewart ran for the Florida Senate in 2016 after court-ordered redistricting made the 13th district more Democratic-leaning. She assumed office on November 8, 2022. Her current term ends on November 5, 2024.