Fresh off an immigration battle with GOP leaders, Gov. Ron DeSantis is now asking the Legislature to greenlight open carry and repeal provisions of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act, a gun-tightening package passed after Florida's deadliest school shooting.

But, bucking the governor, Republican Senate President Ben Albritton is pushing back against DeSantis's request for more Second Amendment protections. This would include open carry, lowering the rifle-buying age to 18, and nixing Florida's red flag laws, which allow courts to temporarily confiscate a gun owner's firearms if they're deemed a threat to themselves or others.

"I'm under the impression after spending time with law enforcement that they feel like [red flag laws are] working," Albritton said Tuesday, noting that he's still opposed to open carry legislation. "If we can stop the next Nikolas Cruz, I say we just hold tight and let the thing work. It appears to be working."

Still "working through" whether to support lowering the gun-buying age, Albritton's beliefs draw a stark contrast with DeSantis' urgings. At his State of the State address on Tuesday, kicking off the 60-day legislative session, and at a press conference directly after, DeSantis claimed that Florida needs to take action on gun laws to truly become a conservative bastion and the "Free State of Florida."

But parts of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Act, named for the high school where 17 Floridians were massacred on Valentine's Day 2018, are standing in the way.

"We need to be a strong Second Amendment state," DeSantis said.  "I don't know what the Legislature is going to do in those respects, but I can tell you that we, in spite of us saying we're the free state...We've definitely lagged on that issue."

Albritton, along with House Speaker Danny Perez, led the rare conservative revolt charge against DeSantis in January, opposing his call for a special session to address illegal immigration. They adjourned the governor's session 15 minutes after it began before starting their own starring a different, Legislature-drafted immigration bill.

Though the measure passed, DeSantis promised to veto it—leading the legislative leaders to engage in week-long discussions to call a third—and final—special session featuring a compromise bill. It passed resoundingly, seemingly sealing up the month-long discord throughout the GOP supermajority.

But gun laws are showing signs of being the next Republican fight.

GOP lawmakers, who enjoy a solid supermajority in both chambers, are largely in agreement with one of his three gun requests: lowering the gun-buying age from 21 to 18. Of the 11 conservative bills filed to loosen gun laws, including expanding the areas Floridians can conceal carry and legalizing bump stocks, three tackle the gun-purchasing age.

"That is something I support, whether it passes the House or not," said House Speaker Danny Perez, who dodged questions on if he backed open carry or the repeal of red flag laws, considering none of the filed bills address red flag or open carry laws.

Since the sweeping Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Act was bipartisanly approved in 2018, the calls for its more restrictive elements to be struck have only grown. Last year, the House approved a bill lowering the gun-buying age to 18, though no companion bill was filed in the Senate. President Albritton in December said he wasn't ready to "pick sides" on whether or not to amend the gun-buying age.

On Feb. 14, 2018, 19-year-old gunman Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with his AR-15 rifle. 14 students and 3 teachers were killed, making it the second-deadliest mass shooting in the state's history. In response, the Legislature under Gov. Rick Scott called a special session to pass massive gun reform legislation.

The post 'Stop the Next Nikolas Cruz': GOP Leader Pushes Back on DeSantis' Open Carry, Red Flag Ideas appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis congratulated SpaceX Monday after the aerospace company announced it was bringing Starship production and launch capabilities to the Space Coast of Florida.

"Congratulations to @SpaceX on your recently announced plans to bring Starship operations to Florida," DeSantis said. "With leading space companies—now including SpaceX—investing in the Free State of Florida, NASA should scrap their expensive new HQ in D.C. and consider moving to Florida as well."

According to its release, SpaceX is building a new integration facility called Gigabay next to its HangarX location at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Merrit Island. It also plans to build a Starship launch pad at the space center this year.

Specifically, Gigabay will stand 380 feet tall and include 46.5 million cubic feet of interior process space and 815,000 square feet of workspace. SpaceX also noted that Gigabay will support Starship and Super Heavy vehicles up to 266 feet tall, provide 24 work cells for integration and refurbishment work, and have cranes capable of lifting as much as 400 tons.

Current Gigabay production is expected to be complete and operational by the end of 2026.

SpaceX is headquartered in unincorporated Starbase, Texas in Boca Chica, Cameron County,  near Brownsville. The aerospace company is in the Rio Grande Valley near the Gulf of America.

The Starship launch pad will be at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center. SpaceX intends to conduct Starship's first Florida launch from LC-39A in late 2025.

"Expansion of Starship production and launch operations in Florida will enable SpaceX to significantly increase the build and flight rates for Starship, which will be the first rapidly and fully reusable launch vehicle in history," SpaceX said.

SpaceX emphasized production was being built at Kennedy Space Center as Environmental Impact Statements are worked out for potential Starship flight operations for LC-39A at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

"Access to space is a critical and growing need for U.S. national security, leadership in science, the country’s exploration goals, and for the growth of the economy. Starship will ultimately be responsible for sending millions of tons of payload to Mars – building a self-sustaining city to make humanity multiplanetary," SpaceX added.

The post Gov. Ron DeSantis Celebrates SpaceX Operations Coming to Florida appeared first on The Floridian.

Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL) discussed his run for Governor of Florida in 2026 in a recent appearance on Fox Business's Sunday Morning Futures. When asked about Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis's potential entry into the race, he said, "[President Donald Trump] has a history of making good picks."

Rep. Donalds has long been teased as a gubernatorial candidate for the 2026 Election before he finally made it official in late February, backed by President Trump.

Trump made the endorsement even before Rep. Donalds's official announcement, saying on Truth Social, "[Donalds] will fight tirelessly to Secure our Border, Stop Migrant Crime, Strengthen our Military, Protect our Vets, Restore our Economic Power, Advance American Energy DOMINANCE, and Defend our always under siege Second Amendment. Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN."

The Floridian exclusively reported that Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) sought to travel to Washington, D.C., to change Trump's mind about endorsing the Florida Congressman in favor of First Lady DeSantis.

Since Donalds's announcement, the DeSantis family kept quiet until Friday night. Casey answered a reporter about running in 2026 with baseball player Yogi Berra's "When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

While nothing is confirmed, Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo asked Donalds about the rumors.

"Nothing is easy," the Florida Congressman replied, "But I remember back in 2018 campaigning for then-Congressman DeSantis, who had the support of Donald Trump, and that worked out great for our state. So, in 2025, moving into 2026, I am really honored to have the same support from President Trump. He has a history of making good picks, and I think his picks have always worked out for the Sunshine State."

Despite the potential nature of the remark as a dig against Casey DeSantis, Donalds nevertheless added, "We will worry about the primaries as other people decide to get in the race or not, but we are going to be focused on Floridians. We are going to be focused on the ideas to move our state to the next level."

The post Donalds Responds to Casey DeSantis Gubernatorial Run Rumors: 'Trump Makes Good Picks' appeared first on The Floridian.

Cryptically quoting a famous baseball player, Florida's First Lady suggested on Friday that she might run to replace her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis.

First Lady DeSantis, a former reporter, invoked baseball legend Yogi Berra in her response to a question at a Miami press conference Friday morning asking if she was considering a gubernatorial bid.

"To quote the late great Yogi Berra: ‘When you come to a fork in the road, take it,'" DeSantis said before quickly taking a seat. When asked what the Berra quote means in terms of the race, the governor offered a coy reply on his wife's behalf:

"I think she's leaving that to the imagination and to start talking about good old Yogi Berra, because he's had a lot of very perceptive comments," smiled the governor, a former baseball player himself. "He said if people don't wanna come to the ballpark, no one's gonna stop them."

The DeSantises' response came amid a storm of speculation that the First Lady plans to challenge the Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds for the Republican nomination. Last week, The Floridian first reported that Gov. DeSantis planned to travel to D.C. to lobby President Trump to not endorse Donalds. He hoped he'd consider his wife, Casey, instead.

Hours later, Trump seemingly bucked the Florida governor by publicly urging Donalds to run for the 2026 seat.

DeSantis began to critique his forecasted successor, claiming Donalds hasn't been part of "any of the victories over the left" in Florida because he was busy "campaigning in other states"—another shot across the bow at the Congressman's recent controversy over not showing up to vote on a House bill.

He indirectly contrasted Trump's candidate with Florida's First Lady, gushing over her "dedication to conservatism." DeSantis told onlookers earlier this week that Republican commentator Rush Limbaugh had claimed the First Lady would be the only governor better than DeSantis.

Four days after the Trump endorsement, Donalds jumped into the race. DeSantis has since declined to comment on Donalds' position in the race, though he and his wife delivered the strongest suggestion that she was considering a run on Friday.

"You guys can read into that...I've had people coming up to me for years, begging to get her in the fray," the Florida governor chuckled on Friday, stepping up to the podium. He praised his wife's "rock solid values," noting that some who serve a "lifetime" haven't made as much of a political impact as the First Lady.

Yogi Berra was a former New York Yankees catcher, manager, and coach who played for 19 seasons. He won 10 World Series championships and was infamously known for his "Yogi-isms," often described as "comically wise" and "paradoxical." The "fork in the road" saying was first printed in his 1998 book "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say Everything I Said!"

Though it's widely interpreted to mean taking action is better than no choice at all, Berra said the quote came from giving his friend directions to his house.

The post 'When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take it': Casey DeSantis Fuels Governor Rumors appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis didn't know that right-wing podcaster Andrew Tate, facing rape and trafficking charges in Romania, was flying to Florida until he read about it in the media Thursday morning.

And the Florida Governor, who's taken a strong stance against sexual crimes throughout his two terms, is not pleased.

"I have confidence that whether it's [U.S. Attorney General] Pam Bondi or [Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem, that they will be looking at [rebuffing Tate's entry]," DeSantis said at a Thursday morning press conference in Starke, before noting that while the issue is a federal one, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is looking into what "state hooks and jurisdiction" the Sunshine State may have.

"The reality is no, Florida is not a place where you're welcome with that type of conduct," DeSantis continued. "I don't know how it came to this. We were not involved, and we were not notified."

Uthmeier has since partnered with state law enforcement to conduct a "preliminary inquiry," promising to hold the alleged criminals accountable if their supposed crimes "trigger Florida jurisdiction," he said on social media.

The New York Times reported early Thursday that British-American influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate boarded a flight to Florida from Romania, where they've been held since 2022 on charges of rape, human trafficking, money laundering, and starting an organized crime group. They've denied all wrongdoing.

Prosecutors lifted a travel ban on the brothers allegedly after President Donald Trump's administration asked Romanian authorities to ease restrictions on Tate, a self-proclaimed misogynist who garnered a mass following for his "alpha male" views, podcast, and book, unsurprisingly titled "The Way of Alpha." Romania's Foreign Ministry denies any U.S. pressure in the lifted ban.

The brothers, who landed in Fort Lauderdale around 11 a.m., are expected to head back to Romania for their next court appearance on March 24, their defense lawyer told CNN.

The older, more well-known, and more criminally accused brother, Andrew, has racked up billions of views on social media platforms like TikTok and X for his views on female submission and male dominance. A four-time kickboxing world champion, Tate's controversial beliefs include claiming that women should "bear responsibility" for sexual assault—a view that got him banned from Twitter before it became X, where he's since been reinstated.

The Tate brothers were first detained in Bucharest, Romania in Dec. 2022 as part of an investigation into alleged rape and human trafficking. They were charged six months later and banned from leaving the country. In March 2024, British police were granted a warrant to extradite the elder Tate to the UK on other allegations of rape and human trafficking, the BBC reported.

Separately, in May 2024, four women in the UK brought a civil case against the brothers, seeking damages for alleged injuries incurred after a sexual assault. In July 2024, the two began to fend off another civil case in the UK alleging that they hadn't paid any taxes on the revenue brought in from their online businesses, including their platform "Hustlers University."

The two deny all wrongdoing and have since set off for Florida.

DeSantis, meanwhile, has been a strong opponent of human trafficking and sexual crimes. Most recently, he approved $4.9 million in the state budget to expand access to emergency beds for trafficking victims, established a $900,000 grant through the Department of Children and Families to enhance anti-trafficking training for law enforcement, and signed a slew of legislation targeting online predators.

The post DeSantis to Accused Rapist Andrew Tate: 'Florida is Not a Place Where You're Welcome' appeared first on The Floridian.

Following rumors that Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis might run for governor, Gov. Ron DeSantis declined to comment Wednesday on Byron Donalds' newly launched bid to succeed him, claiming he's more focused on creating results from the 2024 elections.

DeSantis spoke from the Homestead Air Force Base less than 24 hours after Donalds, the Trump-endorsed Congressman from the 19th District, officially threw his hat in the ring for the looming gubernatorial race. DeSantis, who touted his wife and trashed Donalds over the position earlier this week, did not want to answer questions on the campaign.

"I want to focus today not on the '26 elections, but on vindicating the '24 election by showing that we're gonna get this job done here," he told onlookers at an unrelated press conference on illegal immigration. "You have these elections, and then people start talking about new elections. Why don't we actually get something done based off the previous election?"

Donalds, 46, announced his campaign late Tuesday night on Fox News's "Hannity," just four days after President Donald Trump urged the three-term Congressman to run for Florida's chief executive position. Donalds is the first big-name candidate to jump into the race, though the primary won't take place for another 18 months.

"After a lot of prayer, after a lot of thought with my family and with my friends, I'm here to announce my candidacy to be the next Governor of the great state of Florida," Donalds said Tuesday, praising DeSantis' leadership. "The job is to keep the best state in the country as the best state in the country."

But DeSantis, 46, hasn't had kind words for the Congressman.

On Monday, soon after Trump pushed Donalds to run on social media, the governor accused Donalds of lacking "victories over the left" in Florida because he's been "campaigning in other states." He then praised First Lady DeSantis for her "dedication to conservatism" and potential to win by more votes than DeSantis had in a Republican primary.

Though both DeSantises in the past insisted that the First Lady had "zero" interest in succeeding her husband, The Floridian reported last week that DeSantis was gearing up for a meeting with Trump to dissuade him from endorsing Donalds. He hoped Trump would consider First Lady DeSantis instead.

Hours later, Trump took to Truth Social urging Donalds to run, writing "RUN, BYRON, RUN!!"

Donalds and DeSantis, once allies, butted heads in 2023 over a new law requiring middle schoolers to learn that enslaved people developed skills that could sometimes be "applied for their personal benefit." Donalds, the only Black Republican in Florida's congressional delegation, called it "wrong."

Firing back, DeSantis' spokespeople, known for their aggressive defense of the governor online, accused Donalds of being a fake conservative.

Donalds is one of 13 candidates who've announced for the 2026 race, though he's the only one known statewide. Other popular Republicans who may run include First Lady DeSantis, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, and Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

The post DeSantis Brushes Off Donalds' Run for Governor, Wants to Focus on 2024 Election appeared first on The Floridian.

Nearly two decades before becoming President Donald Trump's Secretary of State, then-Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio laid the groundwork for Gov. Ron DeSantis' newest goal—eliminating property taxes—in 2007.

Though Rubio, a rising star in Florida politics, failed to get his plan across the finish line, he helped pave the way for a 2008 constitutional amendment capping increases in property values for homesteaded homes—and for a renewed push by DeSantis 18 years later.

"People are being taxed to high heaven with property taxes, which...we're gonna give relief on," DeSantis said at an Ocala press conference earlier this week, reiterating the need to provide financial relief to Florida homeowners."They have to cut a check to the government every year, just basically paying rent to live on their own property."

Secretary Rubio, then a young state representative on his way to the U.S. Senate, first proposed eliminating property taxes in 2007 as part of his "100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future" book, a set of big plans he compiled ahead of his speakership and would hand out to colleagues.

But property tax elimination is tricky, particularly in a state with no income tax. Nonetheless, Rubio envisioned what lawmakers termed "the Swap": replacing surging property taxes with sales tax. The issue? It would require that the party of low taxes vote to raise one tax to lower another.

And though it was alluring, especially considering Floridians' overall property tax burden had doubled from $15 billion in 2001 to $30 billion in 2007, the Florida Legislature nixed his plan in favor of a more moderate constitutional amendment supported by then-Gov. Charlie Crist, which doubled the property tax exemptions. Voters approved it on the ballot a year later.

But now, 18 years later, DeSantis is revisiting Rubio's idea. DeSantis over the past few weeks has repeatedly signaled his intention to strike property taxes altogether, which would make Florida the first in the nation to do so.

Last week, Republican Sen. Jonathan Martin, a DeSantis ally, filed a bill for the upcoming legislative session ordering a study on eliminating property taxes.

And, just as Rubio had suggested, it asks that property tax revenues be replaced with sales tax or budget cuts.

According to the Florida Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, fully striking all property taxes would require Florida to almost double the sales tax, a move DeSantis has sworn to veto.

And while it remains to be seen what the finer points in his plan are, the Florida governor has promised that property tax elimination will be on the ballot.

"There's gonna be something on the ballot [in 2026] that is going to give Floridians an opportunity to vote themselves relief from property taxes have done to them," DeSantis promised on Tuesday. According to Housingwire.com, the median property tax in Florida increased 47.5% between 2019 and 2024, with South Florida counties like Miami-Dade and Broward seeing nearly 57% increases.

Rubio served in the state House from 2000 until 2008, spending his final two years as the Florida Speaker. He was elected to the U.S. Senate two years later and would stay there until Jan. 2025, when he resigned his seat to become the next Secretary of State. DeSantis appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill his shoes days later before swearing in his former Chief of Staff James Uthmeier to succeed Moody.

The post Marco Rubio’s 2007 Property Tax Plan Laid Groundwork for DeSantis' New Goal appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds announced his campaign for governor Tuesday night, prompted by President Donald Trump urging him to run last week.

Donalds, a three-term Congressman representing Florida's 19th District, pointed to stabilizing surging insurance rates, taking the lead on cryptocurrency, and boosting education if elected to succeed current Gov. Ron DeSantis—who's both term-limited and critical of Donalds—during an interview with Fox News's Sean Hannity Tuesday evening.

"After a lot of prayer, after a lot of thought with my family and with my friends, I'm here to announce my candidacy to be the next Governor of the great state of Florida," Donalds said on Hannity, speaking during the 9:45 p.m. slot.

"The job is to keep the best state in the country, the best state in the country," he continued, praising DeSantis's leadership and acknowledging that while Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis has been floated as a possible contender for the 2026 race, he's endorsed by Trump and the "only person in this race right now."

Donalds, 46, made the official announcement just four days after Trump took to social media to implore the Florida Congressman to run, calling him a potentially "Great and Powerful Governor" who would have "my Complete and Total Endorsement."

Trump's social media post, unprecedented 18 months ahead of the Republican primary, came hours after The Floridian first reported that DeSantis was gearing up for a meeting with Trump to dissuade him from endorsing Donalds. He hoped Trump would consider First Lady DeSantis instead.

Trump chose otherwise, selecting a candidate DeSantis hasn't had a relationship with for the past year and a half. On Monday, DeSantis trashed Donalds for lacking "victories over the left" in Florida before touting his wife's "dedication to conservatism" and ability to win more votes than he did in a Republican primary.

Donalds and DeSantis weren't always on the outs. In the neck-and-neck 2018 gubernatorial race, Donalds helped DeSantis with debate prep ahead of his razor-thin win over Democrat Andrew Gillum. He later spoke at DeSantis's 2022 reelection party and defended the governor after an embarrassing debate prep video leaked a year later.

But things changed in mid-2023.

DeSantis passed a slew of controversial legislation as he prepared for his presidential bid, including a law requiring middle schoolers to learn that enslaved people developed skills that could sometimes be "applied for their personal benefit." Donalds, the only Black Republican in Florida's congressional delegation, called it "wrong."

Firing back, DeSantis' spokespeople, known for their aggressive defense of the governor online, accused Donalds of being a fake conservative.

Donalds served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2016 to 2020 before he ran for CD 19 in 2021. He's represented the Southwest Florida area since then, and just won reelection to his third term in November.

He is the most well-known candidate in the 2026 gubernatorial race so far, joining 12 other names. Other prospective Republican candidates include former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and First Lady DeSantis. The primary will be in August 2026.

The post Trump-Endorsed Byron Donalds Announces Run for Florida Governor appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday excoriated "legacy media" for sympathizing with the scores of federal workers fired by a new department in Donald Trump's administration, but not with the thousands of employees laid off for refusing the Covid vaccine.

Media outlets are attacking the President and trying to preserve bureaucracy, DeSantis claimed at an Ocala press conference. He weighed the outcry over the potential 200,000 federal workers set to be laid off by the Elon Musk-led agency, the Department of Government Efficiency, and the 8,000 troops fired for refusing to comply with then-President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate.

"The media is very sympathetic to [the employees getting laid off by DOGE], which I would be fine with, but the legacy media was not sympathetic when people were losing their jobs in other states because they didn't want the Covid shot," DeSantis said to applause.

He pivoted to the backlash surrounding Trump's firing of six high-ranking military officials earlier this week, noting that President Barack Obama also dismissed top officials when he came into power.

"You hear bedwetting and D.C. media [saying] 'Oh my god, [Trump's] doing all this,'" he continued, defending Trump. "They have this idea that 'Oh, the President is trying to remove institutional resistance to his policies amongst the military.' The military officers have no right to indulge in institutional resistance.

"If they're not able to carry out those policies, then they should just find another line of work," DeSantis added.

According to varying estimates, DOGE could end up firing as many as 300,000 federal employees in Trump's and Musk's journey to find and cut $2 trillion in federal budget cuts. Over the weekend, Musk, a tech billionaire, sent a mass email blast to federal workers demanding they explain their work from last week or lose their jobs, sparking conflicting messages from the Trump administration.

The deadline was Monday night.

Despite backlash surrounding the mass firings, including cutting park rangers overseeing Florida's only manatee refuge, DeSantis has maintained that the Sunshine State was "DOGE before DOGE was cool." On Monday, he announced the creation of a state version of the federal agency, aimed at tackling noncompliant state universities and eliminating "obsolete" commissions.

DeSantis was also a frontrunner in pushing back against the Covid vaccine under both the Trump and Biden administrations. It was one of the key issues he used to differentiate himself from Trump during the Florida Governor's failed presidential bid.

The post DeSantis Takes on 'Bedwetting' Media Over Sympathy for Workers Fired by DOGE appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried didn't mince words on Monday after Gov. Ron DeSantis announced a state version of Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE).

“Ron DeSantis needs to shut his damn mouth,” Fried said in a news release. “Republicans have been in total control of Florida’s government for nearly 30 years, and he wants to talk about government waste?"

Nikki Fried criticized the governor, in the name of the state-based DOGE, for wasting taxpayer dollars on several initiatives.

“Ron has consistently passed the largest state budgets in Florida’s history, illegally spent millions of taxpayer dollars to run political campaigns to take down Amendments 3 & 4 and just allocated $250 million to fund his political stunt on immigration. Don’t lecture us on wasting taxpayer dollars," Fried added.

She also asserted the move was a reaction to President Donald Trump endorsing U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds for Governor.

“We all know this isn’t about reigning in spending — it’s about Trump endorsing Byron Donalds instead of Casey DeSantis. Maybe Ron should have considered the political consequences before he decided to run against the leader of his party for president," Fried concluded.

The task force's mission is part of Ron DeSantis' plan to overhaul higher education. Florida DOGE intends to audit universities and banish nearly one thousand positions at "obsolete" state boards and commissions.

Specifically, it includes auditing state universities by examining finances, operation effectiveness, and cooperation with eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

"We are creating a state DOGE task force that will implement a multi-pronged approach to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and modernize our state government," DeSantis said, revealing that the group will serve a one-year term and disband after the "completion of the mission."

This idea of  "trimming the fat" might have been in the works for several months as both DeSantis and Florida House Speaker Danny "Daniel" Perez have discussed a DOGE style blueprint at the state level.

Just don't expect well wishes from Fried anytime soon.

The post Nikki Fried: DeSantis Needs to 'Shut His Damn Mouth' on Florida DOGE appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the state version of Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency, which he wants to audit universities and eliminate nearly one thousand positions at "obsolete" state boards and commissions.

Florida's DOGE task force will be formed solely to "prune" excess spending around the state and hold powerful institutions accountable, DeSantis said at a Tampa press conference on Monday. Hopefully, he added, it will use artificial intelligence to identify superfluous or noncompliant workers, agencies, and boards.

"We are creating a state DOGE task force that will implement a multi-pronged approach to eliminate bureaucratic bloat and modernize our state government," DeSantis said, revealing that the group will serve a one-year term and disband after the "completion of the mission."

It will take after President Donald Trump's federal DOGE, created last month to trim excess spending and positions he believes to be unnecessary. Headed up by billionaire and Trump confidant Elon Musk, CNBC estimates that the new department, founded last month, would cut around 300,000 federal workers. It would be the largest job cut in American history.

What's the Mission?

The task force's mission includes boosting a key point of the governor's agenda: revamping higher education. Florida universities would be subjected to an "independent review and audit" by the Florida DOGE, which would examine finances, operation effectiveness, and cooperation with eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

"This is the DOGE-ing of our state university system," DeSantis said. "This will include examining course programming and staff at the institutions...Some of the ideological study stuff we just wanna prune that and get that out."

The massive reformation of higher education is a huge staple of the DeSantis administration, particularly as he geared up for his failed presidential run in 2023. This included gutting the liberal arts New College of Florida in hopes of turning it into the "Hillsdale of the South"—referring to the stringently right-wing university in Michigan—and striking DEI programs in colleges and universities.

The Florida DOGE also plans to eliminate at least 70 state boards and commissions the governor claims to be obsolete or inefficient, noting that some members haven't had appointments for "many, many years." This would involve terminating around 900 positions, compounding the 747 roles he suggested the Legislature dissipate in his proposed budget last month.

This new time-limited task force will expand upon Florida's current Government Efficiency Task Force created in 2006 as part of a state constitutional amendment. This group meets every four years to recommend various government and budget cuts.

The post DeSantis Announces Florida's Own DOGE Task Force to Audit Schools, Cut State Boards appeared first on The Floridian.

House Republican Juan Porras (R-Miami) praised President Donald Trump on Thursday for endorsing Florida Congressman Byron Donalds for governor.

Pretty common for an endorsement, right? Except Juan Porras also jabbed at Florida's current governor in the process.

Rep. Porras has had some "beef" with Gov. Ron DeSantis in the past. Last August, he blasted the governor for a plan to construct golf courses on state parks.

"There is no confusion here, FL has more than enough golf courses. I stand with the rest of my colleagues in the FL Legislature opposing this horrible idea to put them in our state parks," Rep. Porras said.

Other Republican officials lambasted the idea as well.

Porras' remarks come after President Donald Trump endorsed Byron Donalds' potential run for Florida Governor on Thursday.

“Byron Donalds would be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida and, should he decide to run, will have my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, BYRON, RUN,” Trump said.

Donalds also has indicated he will be making an announcement, possibly at running for governor, soon.

Porras meanwhile represents HD 119 which covers part of Miami-Dade County. Trump carried Miami-Dade by 11.5 points over Vice President Kamala Harris in the general election last November.

Also on election day, Porras defeated Democratic candidate Marcos Reyes by a whopping 30 points in HD 119.

Notably, DeSantis defeated Democratic candidate Charlie Crist in Miami-Dade by 11 points in his re-election bid for governor in 2022. Since DeSantis assumed office in 2019, Republicans have expanded their power in the Legislature, including in Porras' House and the Senate.

Republicans have also grown in terms of registered voters since DeSantis took office. Some might argue DeSantis has helped the Florida GOP (and Trump) put election victories on the scoreboard during that time.

Or Trump has helped DeSantis. By the way, does anybody where Adam Putnam is right now?

Porras might be right, and DeSantis' power could be fading away like a Florida sunset. Or will he ride his popularity enough through the term and into the 2028 presidential race?

Time will tell.

The post Rep. Juan Porras Praises Trump's Endorsement of Byron Donalds, Jabs at DeSantis appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday reappointed Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich to the state ethics commission months after Republican leaders refused to confirm her to the post, citing fears of unethical lobbying.

This is the third time DeSantis has appointed Descovich, a former Brevard County School Board member, to the commission in charge of investigating complaints against public officials. And though the GOP-led Senate declined to confirm her in March, Descovich is confident things will be different in the upcoming legislative session.

"I do believe the Senate will confirm me," Descovich said in an email to The Floridian. "I have a proven record of serving on the commission for over a year now and they would have a hard time finding a good reason to not vote for YES at confirmation."

The Senate has yet to confirm Descovich, who serves as the Executive Director of Moms for Liberty, despite her three appointments to the Florida Commission on Ethics over the past year and a half.

DeSantis first appointed Descovich to the commission in Sep. 2023, though the Senate unexpectedly diverged from the governor during her confirmation hearing six months later and refused to confirm her. They pointed to an unnamed Senator's fears that her ties to the DeSantis-aligned Moms for Liberty could constitute "lobbying the legislature" and a citizen complaint claiming her presence "politicized" the process.

Descovich, who is not registered as a lobbyist, has denied ever working as one. The practice is banned for Ethics Commission members.

The failed confirmation didn't faze the governor, who quietly reappointed her to the post in April to serve out the remaining two months of her term. Though her term expired in June, Florida law allows most board members to continue to serve until a successor is named.

In December, Descovich was unanimously elected as the commission's Vice Chair.

With her term now expired, DeSantis on Friday reappointed Descovich—again—to serve on the board. According to a source familiar with the process, DeSantis would be prohibited from reappointing her to the commission for a year if she is not confirmed by the end of the 2025 legislative session.

If she is, her term would expire on June 30, 2028.

Moms for Liberty, a conservative parental rights group, gained popularity under the DeSantis administration for its opposition to certain lessons on race and sexual orientation in schools. The group has close ties to the governor, with members including Esther Byrd, wife of Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who was appointed to the state Board of Education, and co-founder Bridget Ziegler, who joined the board overseeing Walt Disney World’s special district in central Florida.

Both Ziegler and her husband, former GOP Chair Christian Ziegler, came under heavy fire for a sex scandal involving a threesome and an alleged rape, though the charges were dismissed.

The regular legislative session begins March 4.

The post Descovich: Senate Will 'Have a Hard Time' Rejecting Her After DeSantis Reappointment appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday vetoed the TRUMP Act, a divisive illegal immigration bill, officially slamming the door on the month-long tumult within the Florida Republican party.

The 84-page bill, passed during the second special session of the year, was quietly rejected by DeSantis around 6 p.m. Thursday in what appears to be the final nail in the coffin of the rare legislative rebellion against the governor.

"I have vetoed [the TRUMP Act] because stronger, more aggressive bills have been produced that will further establish Florida as the nation's leader in immigration policy," the governor said in a one-page explanation of his veto. He said these new laws, which he signed at a Tallahassee press conference last week, mark what he had "originally called for."

DeSantis vetoed the measure without press or fanfare, just as President Donald Trump urged Rep. Byron Donalds to run for governor of Florida in 2026. The early endorsement is a shot across the bow to the current governor, who has no relationship with Donalds and allegedly planned to lobby Trump to endorse his wife, Casey DeSantis, for the position over the weekend.

With the veto of the TRUMP Act, Florida's new immigration laws now stand clear of the controversial bill that split Republicans down the middle, leading to bitter remarks and alleged violent threats. The new immigration laws, however, marked a reconciliation between the conservative powerhouses, designed as a sweeping compromise between GOP legislative leaders and DeSantis.

The 62-page package integrated anti-illegal immigration language that both sects had called for, including the mandatory death penalty for illegal immigrants convicted of child rape or murder and the denial of bail for illegal immigrants arrested for forceable felonies. The bundle was carried by the same lawmakers who spearheaded the initial rebellion against DeSantis, Senators Joe Gruters and Randy Fine, who struck a conciliatory note during the third—and final—special session.

This was a far cry from their past rhetoric.

Ahead of DeSantis' first special session at the end of January, Gruters and Fine worked with Senate President Ben Albritton and House Speaker Danny Perez to craft the shock plan to shut down DeSantis' session 15 minutes after it began, killing all of his bills, and starting their own session starring the Tackling and Reforming Unlawful Migration Policy (TRUMP) Act.

After DeSantis spent a week lambasting the "grotesque" new bill, vowing to veto it as soon as he could, the governor reached a deal with lawmakers to merge his dead immigration bills with the TRUMP Act. The resulting legislation created a State Board of Immigration Enforcement, made up of the governor and his cabinet, and introduced state crimes for illegally entering Florida.

The laws also increase penalties for any misdemeanor or felony committed by an unauthorized migrant and nix in-state tuition for undocumented college students.

Notably, they leave out any reference to cracking down on illegal immigrants in the workforce—an omission that Senate Minority Leader Jason Pizzo has sworn to fix with a new bill mandating all employers use E-Verify, an online system checking prospective employees' legal status.

The post DeSantis Closes Out Legislative Battle, Vetoes Controversial TRUMP Act appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Clermont Police Chief Charles Broadway to the State Immigration Enforcement Council on Wednesday.

"I am humbled and grateful to be appointed by @GovRonDeSantis to serve alongside other law-enforcement executives to ensure the strongest illegal immigration measures are in place to foster safe communities and safe streets!! Thank you for your confidence in me!" Broadway said on X.

Ron DeSantis' appointment of Charles Broadway comes a week after he signed an anti-illegal immigration package into state law.

In his role, Broadway will be tasked with coordinating immigration enforcement best under President Donald Trump's administration. The newly created council includes six other members.

A long career in law enforcement spanning 26 years, Broadway has been Chief of the Clermont Police Department since 2012. He also served approximately three years as captain of the department.

Before that, he worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement from 2004-2010. Among his duties, Broadway investigated "multi-jurisdictional violent crimes, conducted complex narcotic investigations, human trafficking investigations and gang investigations."

Broadway was then promoted to Special Agent Supervisor before later earning a position in the agency's prestigious Public Integrity Unit. In that role, Broadway oversaw investigations of alleged misconduct of public officials and officer-involved shootings around Central Florida.

His career in law enforcement began in New York with the New York City Police Department (NYPD) as a Detective in 1996. During that time, Broadway responded to the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center where he assisted in search and rescue efforts.

Along with being Clermont Police Chief, Broadway serves on the executive board for the Florida Police Chief’s Association. DeSantis also appointed him to serve on the Criminal and Juvenile Justice Information Systems Council.

In addition, Broadway is a past President of the West Central Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Criminal Justice Executive Institute.

Broadway was born and raised in Long Island, N.Y., and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from St. Johns University.

The post Charles Broadway Appointed to State Immigration Enforcement Council by Gov. Ron DeSantis appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Thursday filed a class-action lawsuit against the retail corporation Target for defrauding investors and "sexualizing children" in one of his first acts as the state's chief prosecutor.

Uthmeier, sworn into the post on Monday, claimed that Target purposely misled investors by failing to disclose that its 2023 Pride campaign, complete with rainbow clothing and trans-friendly swimwear, would be controversial enough to drop the company's stock price.

"While Target told their investors they would keep the company out of controversy to protect the stock price, the retailer engaged in a marketing campaign targeting and sexualizing children," said Uthmeier in a video posted to social media minutes after the class action was filed. "This radical campaign predictably caused Target's stock price to plummet, wiping out $10 billion in market value in just 10 days."

The suit was filed by the Florida State Board of Administration, the agency in charge of retirement pensions, and America First Legal, a nonprofit conservative group founded by President Donald Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. It alleges that Target violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by failing to disclose "known risks" of customer backlash to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. It also claims that Target put "left-wing activism" ahead of shareholder returns.

Target, which operates roughly 2,000 stores nationwide, faced massive backlash for its 2023 Pride campaign. This included adding LGBTQ-friendly clothing, swimwear, and books. In his Thursday video, Uthmeier blasted its "rainbow sports bras for boys" and "books for kids that asked them to question their biological reality."

Following President Trump's lead, Target promised on Jan. 24 to remove its DEI policies.

The former Chief of Staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Uthmeier touched on one of the DeSantis administration's biggest topics: transgender issues. DeSantis' second term in office, marked by his failed presidential bid, was chock full of gender identity and sexuality discussions, including bans on transgender athletes in women's sports, sexuality discussions in elementary school, and transgender surgeries for minors.

Uthmeier was appointed to Attorney General on Monday after its former occupant, Ashley Moody, was appointed to the U.S. Senate. Moody, Florida's second female Attorney General, took over former Sen. Marco Rubio's seat after Trump poached Rubio to become the Secretary of State.

"No company should be celebrating and marketing the sexualization of our children," Uthmeier added.

The post Florida Sues Target for Defrauding Investors Over DEI and 'LGBTQ Activism' appeared first on The Floridian.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has promised to kill a new bill banning private citizens from serving court documents, a move the bill sponsor insists is "not the win" the governor thinks it is.

DeSantis referred to the bill by Republican Sen. Randy Fine, a top Trump ally and leading DeSantis critic in the Florida Legislature, which would allow only county sheriffs to serve subpoenas or summonses. Striking three Florida statutes, the measure bans certified process servers or sheriff appointees from carrying out these tasks.

"I will veto this legislation if it hits my desk," DeSantis posted to social media Thursday morning, amplifying a lengthy X post by the Space Coast Rocket, a Brevard County media outlet. The post claimed Fine filed the bill to avoid legal proceedings, attaching a video from 2023 showing Fine allegedly hiding under his desk to dodge a subpoena.

Fine blasted the governor for sharing the post, noting that the Space Coast Rocket's founder, Robert Burns, is a convicted felon. Burns, who funded a candidate running against Fine in a 2020 primary election, was ordered to pay $24,500 in a campaign finance case last week.

"Sharing this post from a convicted felon who is awaiting sentencing of up to 20 years in federal prison, was demoted in the military after being charged with rape and forcible sodomy, and was sentenced last week on FIFTY counts of election fraud is not the win you think it is," Fine posted to social media.

This is only the latest rub between DeSantis and Fine. On Wednesday, DeSantis defended a new University of West Florida trustee whom Fine had called a "bigot," urging Floridians to "consider the source." In turn, Fine accused the governor of lying and questioned whether he might be antisemitic. This follows their clash over an illegal immigration bill and Fine vowing to investigate the governor's staff.

What Does the Bill Do?

SB 826 requires that county sheriffs serve all court subpoenas and other summons, eliminating the option for certified or special process servers to carry out these duties. This includes non-enforceable civil processes, criminal witness subpoenas, and criminal summons.

The Space Coast Rocket claims Fine sponsored this bill because of a 2023 lawsuit filed by Brevard County School Board member Jennifer Jenkins, who sought to depose him for allegedly colluding with another school board member to inflame anti-transgender sentiment.

In a five-minute cell phone video, Fine appears to duck behind his desk when an investigator knocks on his window. Fine, the Legislature's sole Jewish Republican, later said he was following safety protocols due to antisemitic threats over his support of Israel in its ongoing war with Hamas.

Fine will resign from his Senate seat on March 31 to pursue a vacant congressional seat. Having handily won his primary in late January, the Republican firebrand is expected to win the red-tilted District 6 during the April 1 special election.

The post DeSantis Promises to Veto Fine's Bill Over Court Document Service appeared first on The Floridian.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is a big supporter of term limits, doesn’t appear to be willing to give up the power he wields as “America’s Governor,” appears to be be traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with President Donald Trump in support of First Lady Casey DeSantis running to replace him in the 2026 Republican gubernatorial primary election.

The Floridian has learned from several influential lobbyists/donors who support Gov. DeSantis, that DeSantis will be flying to Washington in the coming days to meet with President Trump in hopes to prevent him from endorsing Rep. Byron Donalds, the odds-on favorite of the MAGA movement.

Donalds has already received the support of top Trump-supporting lawmakers like Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Cory Mills.

The aforementioned lobbyists, who asked that we protect their identities for this article, said that Governor DeSantis has been calling top donors and urging them not to donate to Rep. Donalds instead asking them to hold their powder in support of Mrs. DeSantis.

This could be a tactic to buy some DeSantis time to make a final decision on whether or not to allow his wife to run to replace him.

The beef between Gov. DeSantis and President Trump, that was created when DeSantis made the ill-advised move to challenge Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary election, appears to have shelved, but is it?

Earlier this year, Trump appeared to show his support for Donalds after he posted a meme of a public opinion poll showing the popular Florida congressman leading the pack of potential Republican gubernatorial candidates.

The poll conducted by Victory Insights posted on January 29th to X (formerly Twitter) suggested Rep. Donalds would win a Republican primary against Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nunez (R-FL), Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez with 31% of the vote, while Nunez, the closest competitor, only held 4% of the hypothetical vote.

The only two realistic gubernatorial candidates would be Donalds and current Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, considering that Suarez has stated that he wasn’t interested in the job.

Nuñez just took the job as interm President of Florida International University (FIU) and would probably wouldn’t be giving up the $1 million a year job close to home.

Remember, like he did with just about every single member of Florida’s congressional caucus, DeSantis took issue with Donalds after Donalds endorsed Trump for president over DeSantis in 2023.

During his term in the House of Representatives, DeSantis always held the belief that lawmakers need to be term limited.

DeSantis recently underscored his belief of term limits when former President Joe Biden asserted that he supported term limits for Supreme Court Justices.

"Why aren't we doing term limits for members of Congress? That's what would make the biggest difference!" DeSantis said during his Tampa press conference. "[Democrats] don't like the court now because they're on the wrong side of rulings...If they're willing to support term limits for members of Congress, that would be a trade that I would make."

If Mrs. DeSantis runs and wins, for all intents and purposes, it would serve as her husband’s third term in office.

Technically, a Casey DeSantis governorship would not be a Ron DeSantis third term, but it would be, and many state lawmakers don't appear to be keen on the idea that another DeSantis will be calling the shots in Tallahassee.

Mrs. DeSantis already has her  own office within the Governor’s executive office, and has sat in on many meetings regarding governance, so it can be said that she is well-acclamated with the role and she could easily follow in her husband's footsteps.

But with that said, is she qualified to follow in the governor’s footsteps?

Mrs. DeSantis does have her own pair of cowboy boots, so that box is checked, but one member of Congress, who also doesn’t want his or her name share in this article, doesn’t believe she is qualified to be governor of Florida.

“She is no less qualified to be governor than Kamala Harris was to be president,” said the congressional source. “What has she done to make her qualified?”

The Republican Governor’s Association (RGA) will holding a meeting this week in Washington.

The post DeSantis to Meet with Trump, Expected to Advocate for Casey DeSantis's Potential Gubernatorial Run appeared first on The Floridian.