John Lowndes

Age: 62

Where they live: Maitland, Florida

Where they work: Mayor of Maitland; In-house legal counsel for a nonprofit healthcare consortium.

Prior work experience:

Attorney in private practice representing tribal governments in federal
Native American law while practicing in Washington, D.C., Oregon and Alaska; Assistant
County Attorney at Orange County Attorney’s Office focusing on land use, water resources, utilities, real property and public policy.

Prior political experience:

Mayor of Maitland (elected 2021, reelected 2024)
Maitland City Council (elected 2013, served two terms)
Chair of the Maitland Planning and Zoning Commission; member of local advisory boards and commissions.

Platform: “I’m running focused on lowering the cost of living, fixing Florida’s property insurance crisis, protecting Seminole County’s rural boundary, strengthening public education and restoring home rule and local decision-making. I believe government should focus on practical solutions that help working families and seniors rather than partisan politics.”

Why they are running (three sentences or less): “I’m running because too many Central Florida families are struggling with rising costs for housing, insurance, healthcare and utilities while Tallahassee focuses on the wrong priorities. As Mayor of Maitland, I’ve spent more than a decade bringing people together to solve problems and I want to bring that same practical leadership to the State Senate. We need less political division and more leaders focused on lowering costs and making government work for people.”

Endorsements:

Congressman Maxwell Frost (FL-10),
State Senators Carlos Guillermo Smith, Tina Polsky and Lori Berman
State Representative Anna Eskamani
Former State Senate District 10 candidate Patricia Sigman
CD-7 candidate Bale Dalton
Sanford Commissioner Claudia Thomas
Orange County Commissioner Kelly Semrad
Orange County School Board Member Stephanie Vanos
Maitland City Council Members Stephen B. Schoene and Scot French

Most recent campaign finance report: $47,962 in contributions

Fun fact about the candidate: “I’m a member of a local running club and run about 15 miles every week. That’s fun, sometimes.”

Candidate Q&A: The questions below are based on voter questions and expressed priorities. Each of the candidates within a race were asked the same questions and given the same amount of time to respond. The candidates’ answers were fact checked, checked for spelling and grammar but otherwise unedited.

If elected, what are the three most pressing problems you want to address, and what do you suggest to solve them?

Affordability. Families are being squeezed by rising costs for housing, insurance, healthcare and utilities. I’ll focus on lowering those costs by increasing accountability in the insurance market, promoting more affordable housing options, protecting consumers from unnecessary utility rate increases and making government work more efficiently.
Protecting local communities from overreach and irresponsible growth. As Mayor, I’ve seen how local leaders understand their communities best. I’ll fight to restore local decision-making, protect Seminole County’s rural boundary and support responsible growth that preserves our quality of life.
Strengthening public education. Every child deserves a great public school. I’ll work to ensure public schools have the resources they need, support raises for teachers and make sure taxpayer dollars are spent in ways that improve student outcomes.

For incumbents: Why do you deserve re-election to this race? For challengers and open seats: Why do you deserve to be elected in this race?
I’ve spent more than a decade serving our community on the Maitland City Council and as mayor, solving problems instead of creating political fights. My career as an attorney working on land use, utilities, infrastructure and public policy has given me a practical understanding of how government works. I’m running because families need someone focused on lowering costs and delivering real results, not partisan talking points.

According to a University of North Florida poll, Floridians say housing affordability is their top issue. What are your solutions for dealing with Florida’s affordability issue?
Housing affordability starts with increasing supply in the right places while protecting existing neighborhoods and natural resources. We should encourage workforce housing, streamline permitting where appropriate, invest in infrastructure that supports smart growth and address the insurance and utility costs that are making homeownership increasingly unaffordable. Housing isn’t affordable if you can’t afford the insurance or utility bill that comes with it.

Will you vote YES or NO on the constitutional amendment to slash property taxes, and explain your position. How would you replace lost revenue – fees and/or service reductions?
I have concerns about the amendment as currently proposed because it doesn’t identify a responsible way to replace the revenue that funds local services like police, fire protection, parks and roads. Floridians have worked hard and they deserve relief, but property taxes aren’t the core affordability problem facing most Floridians; skyrocketing insurance premiums are. Any tax reform should provide meaningful relief without simply shifting costs onto taxpayers through service cuts or higher fees. For those reasons, I will be voting no.

Utility costs are rising for customers in Florida, and the proliferation of data centers is expected to exacerbate that issue. How should Florida’s utility regulators respond?
Utilities should demonstrate that new infrastructure primarily serving large industrial users, including data centers, does not unfairly shift costs onto residential customers. Regulators should require transparency, encourage energy efficiency and ensure investments are necessary and cost-effective. Families shouldn’t end up subsidizing private development through higher monthly utility bills.

What do you think is the biggest environmental issue the government should address in Florida?
Florida’s natural lands are one of our greatest assets, and once they’re gone, we can’t get them back. We need to protect Seminole County’s rural boundary, preserve Florida’s wild spaces, and safeguard the lakes, rivers, wetlands and aquifers that support our communities and economy. Growth should happen where infrastructure already exists — not at the expense of our natural lands and water resources. We can accommodate growth while preserving the quality of life that makes Central Florida such a great place to live.

Do you agree with the current federal and state governments’ approaches to immigration enforcement? Why or why not?
We need secure borders and enforcement of our immigration laws, but we also need practical, effective policies that focus resources on public safety and serious criminal activity. Immigration has become too political, with too little focus on workable solutions. We should pursue reforms that strengthen security while supporting Florida’s economy and respecting due process.

Do you believe abortion restrictions in Florida should be more strict, less strict or stay the same?
I support protecting access to abortion because these are deeply personal healthcare decisions that belong to a woman, her family and her healthcare provider, not politicians. Every pregnancy is different, and families should be able to make these decisions based on medical advice and their own values. I believe government should not stand between patients and their doctors when it comes to accessing essential healthcare.

Readers shared concerns about overdevelopment in the Greater Oviedo and Winter Springs community. We know that local municipalities must allow for density based on state population projections. What can be done at the state level to balance property owners’ rights and the desires of your constituents?
Growth should be planned, not simply approved. Property owners’ rights must be respected, but existing residents also deserve roads that work, adequate schools, clean water and preserved natural areas. The state should give local governments more flexibility to plan responsibly instead of overriding local decision-making, while ensuring infrastructure keeps pace with new development.

Readers complained about roadway traffic in the community. What steps would you take to address this issue from the office that you’re seeking?
Traffic is a symptom of overdevelopment, not the problem itself. We can’t keep approving more development without the roads, schools and infrastructure to support it. I’ll fight for smarter growth, protect the rural boundary and ensure the state doesn’t force local communities to accept development that makes congestion and quality of life worse.

Do you support AI data centers being built in the community. Why or why not? What would you do to curtail or incentivize their development?

AI data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water while creating relatively few permanent local jobs. I don’t believe Florida families should face higher utility bills or increased strain on our natural resources to subsidize projects that provide limited benefits to the surrounding community. Floridians deserve transparency, local input and real decision-making power when it comes to data centers.

How do you balance the idea of home rule when state lawmakers preempt decisions from local governments?
As mayor, I’ve seen firsthand that local governments are usually in the best position to make decisions for their communities. There are times when statewide consistency makes sense, but Tallahassee has gone too far in taking authority away from local communities. I believe decisions should be made as close to the people as possible whenever practical.

Do you support the rural boundary in Seminole County? How do you balance that with private landowners’ rights to build?
I strongly support protecting Seminole County’s rural boundary because it preserves our water resources, wildlife habitat, and quality of life. It is also a matter of home rule: The people of Seminole County have voted overwhelmingly to maintain the boundary. At the same time, private property rights matter. The balance is achieved through thoughtful, local planning that respects existing expectations while directing growth to areas already served by infrastructure instead of encouraging sprawl.