Tag Archives: Florida

Fourth Major Home Insurer Pulls Out Of Florida Market

CBS News reports: Farmers Insurance said Tuesday that it will no longer offer coverage in Florida, ending home, auto and others policies in the state in a move that will affect tens of thousands of residents. Farmers becomes the fourth major insurer to pull out of Florida in the past year, as the state’s insurance market looks increasingly precarious amid …

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DeSantis On Being Trump’s VP: “I’m Not A #2 Guy”

NBC News reports: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he would not be former President Donald Trump’s running mate if given the opportunity to join him on the ticket. “I don’t think so. I’m not a No. 2 guy,” DeSantis said on the “Wisconsin Right Now” radio show, saying he would rather stay on as governor because the vice presidency …

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Florida Youth Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

First Coast News reports: A youth minister at Celebration Church in Jacksonville has been arrested and charged with six counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, newly-released documents show. Celebration Church says Williams was in this position as a volunteer. Rashad Williams, 34, was reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office after it was discovered that he was in a …

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DeSantis Rejects $377 Million In Federal Energy Funds

Bloomberg News reports: Florida Republican Governor and 2024 presidential contender Ron DeSantis quietly rejected hundreds of millions of dollars in federal energy funding, as the Biden administration touts the benefits of its marquee climate law on the campaign trail in battleground states. The funding, totaling about $377 million, included hundreds of millions of dollars for energy-efficiency rebates and electrification as …

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Complaint Filed In Florida House Alleges “Gay” GOP Rep Pressured Two Staffers To Let Him “Bottom” For Them

Florida Politics reports: A formal sexual harassment complaint against Rep. Fabián Basabe has now been filed with the House. Two male staffers, Nicolas Frevola and Jacob Cutbirth, detailed many of the accusations already described in a lawsuit filed against Basabe in Leon County. Those include accusations the Miami Beach Republican told both men he wanted to have anal sex with …

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Housing Costs Make FL Nation’s “Inflation Hotspot”

CNN reports: Florida is America’s inflation hotspot because of a persistent problem with sky-high housing costs. The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area has the highest inflation rate of metro areas with more than 2.5 million residents, with a 9% inflation rate for the 12 months ended in April. That’s more than double the national average of 4%, according to data …

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DeSantis Claims Most Disney Employees Support Him

Florida Politics reports: During a return engagement on the Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show, the Florida Governor contended rank-and-file Disney workers are with him and not “‘woke’ executives,” comments he bases on the 2022 election. “The sad part about it guys is, when we were having this fight with Disney in 2022, most of the employees in their Orlando …

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DeSantis Vows To Revoke China’s Trade Relations Status

The Guardian reports: The Republican presidential candidate and Florida governor Ron DeSantis said on Sunday he would aim to revoke China’s permanent normal trade relations status if he wins the White House next year. “I favor doing that,” DeSantis told Fox News. “I think we probably need Congress but I would take executive action as appropriate to be able to …

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DeSantis Trails Trump By 20 Points In New Florida Poll

Florida Politics reports: New polling from the Florida Atlantic University Mainstreet PolCom Lab tells a familiar story about the GOP presidential race in the state. Right now, it’s Donald Trump’s to lose. The former President leads Gov. Ron DeSantis, 50% to 30%, in a poll of 315 likely voters in next year’s GOP Primary. No other candidate is close. Author …

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Miami Paper: Canceled Conventions In Florida’s Blue Counties Are Part Of DeSantis’ “Own The Libs” Strategy

From the Miami Herald editorial board: Gov. Ron DeSantis has made no secret that his approach to governing is “You’re either with me or get the heck out.” He has signed laws and used state power against: teachers; transgender people; African Americans; women’s bodies; teachers and unions; university professors and academic freedom; universities that want to diversify their student body; …

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South FL Tourism Officials Report Canceled Conventions

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports: Broward County has lost more than a half-dozen conventions as their organizers cite the divisive political climate as their reason to stay out of Florida. The list was compiled by Visit Lauderdale, formerly known as the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau. Broward’s tourism arm said the lost conventions could have brought hotel stays …

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Creator Deletes Anti-LGBTQ DeSantis Campaign Video

Florida Politics reports: A video spotlighted by the DeSantis War Room Twitter account that painted Donald Trump as accommodating on LGBTQ+ issues has been quietly deleted. However, the Tweet highlighting the video is still up as of this writing Saturday morning. The deletion, first noticed by Axios reporter Alex Thompson, caps off days of blowback against Ron DeSantis which included …

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Florida Atlantic University Halts Search For President Over Questionnaire Asking If Applicants Are “Queer”

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports: Just days before the three finalists for Florida Atlantic University’s next president were set to speak at public forums, the search has been stopped in its tracks. State University System of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues sent a letter to Brad Levine, chairman of both the FAU Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee, citing …

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WSJ: DeSantis Is Exacerbating Florida’s Labor Shortage

From the Wall Street Journal editorial board: An estimated 772,000 undocumented immigrants lived in Florida in 2019, many of whom have been there for years and contribute significantly to the state economy. Construction, agriculture and hospitality depend heavily on undocumented workforces, not least because of a shortage of U.S. workers for such lower-wage and -skilled jobs. Employers in these industries …

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DeSantis Blames Media And Mexico For Lousy Polls

Florida Politics reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis continues to explain away disappointing polling numbers, blaming the “corporate media” and Mexico’s President Andrés López Obrador this time. During a Thursday night interview on Fox News Tonight, host Will Cain confronted the 2024 presidential candidate with polling that has seen DeSantis “between 10 and 20%,” “numbers that have stayed there for two months.” …

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“Mamas For DeSantis” Attack LGBTQs In First Video

Florida Politics reports: Florida’s First Lady is kicking off the presidential campaign’s iteration of “Mamas for DeSantis” with a new video highlighting the Governor’s stances against drag queens, masks and Anthony Fauci. The video, which runs slightly more than two minutes, juxtaposes stern narration against a visual backdrop of a parade of horribles for DeSantis and his supporters. “When you …

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Staffers Sue “Gay” FL GOP Rep For Sexual Harassment

The Miami Herald reports: Two former staffers for Florida Rep. Fabian Basabe filed a lawsuit Thursday detailing allegations of sexual harassment and unwanted touching by the freshman Republican lawmaker. The lawsuit says Basabe made repeated lewd sexual comments and advances toward a legislative aide and an intern, slapped the aide’s butt without his consent while they attended an elementary school …

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PAC For Miami Mayor Launches Campaign AI Chatbot

The Associated Press reports: A super PAC supporting Miami Mayor Francis Suarez ‘s run for the Republican presidential nomination has launched an artificial intelligence chatbot to answer questions about him, marking yet another example of how generative AI tools are being used in 2024 presidential campaigns. The bot unveiled Wednesday by SOS America PAC listens to a user’s questions and …

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Florida GOP Will Require Trump And DeSantis To Sign Loyalty Pledge In Order To Appear On Primary Ballot

Politico reports: Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump are finding that the price to make the 2024 Florida primary ballot is going up. All GOP candidates will have to pledge their loyalty to the eventual Republican nominee to make the March 19 primary, a contest that could tip the balance of the crowded race since Florida’s contest is …

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Florida Sees Wave Of Canceled Major Conventions

The Florida Phoenix reports: Noting the “escalating waves of hostile actions and legislation coming out of Florida,” the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) is ditching its scheduled annual conference at the Hyatt Regency Miami later this year and instead will hold it in Chicago. In a letter sent to ACSP educators, researchers, and students posted on the organization’s …

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