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Donalds coy on potential Florida governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement

Donalds coy on potential Florida governor bid while thanking Trump for endorsement

The Hill22-02-2025

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was coy while discussing his potential Florida gubernatorial bid during a Friday interview while also expressing gratitude for landing an early endorsement from President Trump.
When asked if and when he might enter the race during his appearance on NewsNation's show 'The Hill,' Donalds said that he is not 'going to get into it now, there's a lot of different things that we're thinking through, but I do got to say, really appreciative of President Trump and his support.'
He added, 'You know, it's something where, you know, I think if we decided to make that that jump, you know, the mission is going to be about making sure that Florida just goes to higher and higher heights.'
Trump endorsed Donalds, his close ally on Capitol Hill and a rising star in the GOP, on Thursday, proclaiming that Donalds would have a 'big voice' and would work 'closely' with the commander-in-chief to advance his America-first agenda.
'He 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,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Donalds said Friday that he and his team are having internal discussions, including about his potential entrance into the race.
'Nothing really to put out right now, but I'm really appreciative of the support from President Trump and the support pouring out from so many other people around the state, around the country,' Donalds told NewsNation's Blake Burman.
Days before the endorsement, which tends to carry a significant amount of weight in Republican primaries, Trump showcased an internal poll conducted by Florida-based Republican pollster Victory Insights, that showed Donalds, who represents Florida's 19th Congressional District, being in the top spot in a hypothetical Sunshine State's governor's race.
Donalds was on top with 31 percent. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez (R) was at 4 percent while the state's Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson (R) got 3 percent. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez received 1 percent backing.
While Donalds has not officially announced his state-wide run, he has bolstered his campaign team. He has spoken to Florida-based donors about a potential bid and has brought on Trump's 2016 and 2024 presidential pollster Tony Fabrizio, The Hill reported last month.
'A lot of people in the state are eager to have him get into the race,' one source familiar with the matter told The Hill. 'The grassroots truly comes to Byron.'
It is unclear who DeSantis, whose term ends in January 2027, will support once the race kicks off. Donalds and the Florida governor have had a tense relationship. The House Republican endorsed Trump in April 2023, even before DeSantis officially kickstarted his presidential bid which ended in January last year.
On Friday, Donalds praised DeSantis's work in Florida.
'I think the one thing that is clear is that, look, Governor DeSantis has done a great job for our state,' Donalds said on NewsNation. 'We all know that, and but there's going to be time to pick a new governor, and then we'll go on from there.'
Earlier on Friday, Donalds told The Hill he has not spoken with DeSantis yet, 'but I know we will.'
He said 'It's too early for that' when asked if he thinks that the Florida governor would endorse him.

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Here's what Brevard voters need to know for Election Day about Senate, House races
Here's what Brevard voters need to know for Election Day about Senate, House races

Yahoo

time25 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Here's what Brevard voters need to know for Election Day about Senate, House races

Today is Election Day in Brevard. Voters will go to the polls June 10 for the special election to fill Florida Senate District 19 and Florida House District 32 seats. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 77 locations throughout Brevard County. They will be staffed by a total of 692 poll workers. Here is what voters need to know about these elections: Voters who vote on Election Day need to remember to vote in their precinct-specific polling location. Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic said voters need to bring a valid current photo and signature ID. Assigned precincts can be found on with the 'Find Your Precinct' tab; on a voter information card; or on the sample ballot that has been mailed to each registered voter in Senate District 19 or House District 32. Bobanic said there have been some polling location changes, so voters should verify the location of their Election Day polling place. The candidates are Republican Debbie Mayfield of Indialantic and Democrat Vance Ahrens of Grant-Valkaria. The seat became vacant when the incumbent, Randy Fine, resigned, effective March 31, to run for a seat in Congress in Florida's 6th Congressional District, a six-county area that includes Daytona Beach. Fine won the congressional seat in an April 1 election. Mayfield has been a member of the Florida House, representing District 32, since November. She resigned her seat on June 9 to run for this Senate seat, which she previously held before having to give it up in 2024 because of term limits. Because of the gap in tenure, Mayfield is allowed to seek the Senate seat again in this election. Mayfield on April 1 won a four-candidate primary for the Senate seat, receiving 60.81% of the vote. Ahrens worked in health care as a surgical technician for more than 20 years, and currently works as a retail manager. Ahrens previously sought this seat in 2024, losing to Fine and getting 40.64% of the vote. The district includes most of Brevard County, except for Titusville and areas north of Titusville. The election winner will serve the remainder of Fine's four-year term, which runs until November 2028. Florida Senate members have a salary of $29,697 a year. The candidates are Republican Brian Hodgers of Viera and Democrat Juan Hinojosa of Rockledge. The seat will become vacant because of Mayfield's resignation to run for the Senate District 19 seat. Hodgers is a real estate broker and insurance agent. On April 1, Hodgers won a close three-candidate Republican primary for this seat, receiving 35% of the vote. Hinojosa is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. Hinojosa previously ran for the House District 32 seat in 2024, losing to Mayfield and getting 35.72% of the vote. The district includes much of Central Brevard County. The election winner will serve the remainder of Mayfield's two-year term, which runs until November 2026. Florida House members have a salary of $29,697 a year. Yes. The deadline to register to vote in this election — also known as "book closing" — was May 12. There are 401,333 registered voters in Senate District 19 eligible to vote in this election. Of those, 44.9% are Republicans; 25.9% are Democrats; 25.5% are no-party-affiliation voters; and 3.7% are members of a minor political party. There are 137,773 registered voters in House District 32. Of those, 46.9% are Republicans; 24.4% are Democrats; 25.1% are no-party-affiliation voters; and 3.6% are members of a minor political party. All of them also live within Senate District 19, so they can vote in both races. Voter turnout for the primary was 21.71% of eligible voters. Under state law, the Republican primary was open only to registered Republicans. As of the morning of June 9, there have been 25,674 votes cast by mail for this election, In addition 17,898 voters cast ballots in in-person early voting, which ran from May 31 through June 7 at nine locations throughout Brevard. In all, 10.86% of eligible voters have voted so far. Of those, 22,033 votes were cast by Republicans; 14,764 by Democrats; 6,049 by no-party-affiliation voters; and 730 by members of a minor political party. "Turnout for the 2025 special general election has been light," Bobanic said. "Mail ballot and early voting have us sitting at a little over 10% overall turnout. If voters follow the same trend as the special primary, the majority of voters will cast their ballot on Election Day." Precincts 305 and 324: Moved from Melbourne Beach Town Hall Community Center, 509 Ocean Ave., Melbourne Beach, to St. Sebastian's by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 2010 Oak St., Melbourne Beach. Precincts 310 and 329: Moved from Central Baptist Church, 2503 Country Club Road, Melbourne, to Joseph N. Davis Community Center, 2547 Bruce D. Buggs St., Melbourne. Precincts 421 and 430: Moved from Suntree United Methodist Church, 7400 N. Wickham Road, Suntree, to St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, 5965 N. Wickham Road, Suntree. Precincts 424 and 429: Moved from Church at Viera, 9005 N. Wickham Road, Viera, to Viera Regional Community Center, 2300 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera. Precincts 500 and 528: Moved from Tropical Haven Auditorium, 1205 S. Eddie Allen Road, Melbourne, to Melbourne Public Library, 540 E. Fee Ave., Melbourne. Precinct 505: Moved from First Baptist Church of Indialantic, 170 Washington Ave., Indialantic, to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 106 N. Riverside Drive, Indialantic. (This is a temporary move just for this election.) Bobanic said filled-out mail ballots must be brought to one of the four administrative offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day. They are not accepted at polling places. These are the Brevard office locations: Melbourne: South Brevard Service Complex, 1515 Sarno Road, Building A. Palm Bay: South Mainland Service Center, 450 Cogan Drive SE. Titusville: Government Complex-North, 400 South St., Suite 1F. Viera: Government Center, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Building C, Suite 105. Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@ on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Brevard voters can cast ballots in special elections for Senate, House

LA's Only Elected Republican Reacts to National Guard Troops, ICE Raids
LA's Only Elected Republican Reacts to National Guard Troops, ICE Raids

Newsweek

time30 minutes ago

  • Newsweek

LA's Only Elected Republican Reacts to National Guard Troops, ICE Raids

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The only elected Republican in Los Angeles, Kathryn Barger, warned that there must be close coordination between federal, state, and local agencies if President Donald Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to quell the city's riots is to work. Her warning, in an email to Newsweek, comes as Trump clashes with California Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, both Democrats, over his deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines. Newsom and Bass oppose the moves, accusing the Republican president of fueling the disorder. Barger, a Los Angeles County Supervisor, is the sole Republican elected to office at the local government level in the LA area. There are no other Republicans on the LA County Board of Supervisors, and none at all elected to the LA City Council. She also called for "transparency, accountability, and respect" from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as it conducts raids across LA, operations that sparked the unrest. Protests in the city against raids by ICE over the weekend have descended into riots and looting. The raids are part of the Trump Administration's effort to deport all illegal immigrants from the U.S., with an emphasis on violent criminals. Newsom and Bass said state and local authorities can handle the situation without National Guard troops. But Trump says he is reestablishing law and order after failures by local and state leadership. "The deployment of National Guard troops is a significant action that must be approached with great care and coordination," Barger told Newsweek. "While I understand the urgency that may prompt federal involvement, I believe any such deployment must be done in close partnership with state and local agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of our communities. "Effective use of this powerful resource depends on clear communication, mutual goals, and a unified command structure. "My focus remains on making sure that all efforts—federal, state, and local—are aligned to deliver real support where it's needed most." This picture taken on June 8, 2025 shows a protestor raising their fist while holding a Mexican flag in front of a Waymo vehicle that was set on fire during a demonstration following federal immigration... This picture taken on June 8, 2025 shows a protestor raising their fist while holding a Mexican flag in front of a Waymo vehicle that was set on fire during a demonstration following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles. More BLAKE FAGAN/AFP via Getty Image Barger also urged ICE to minimize "fear and disruption among law-abiding residents." "Immigration enforcement is a deeply complex and sensitive issue, especially in a diverse region like Los Angeles County," Barger told Newsweek. "Federal agencies like ICE are tasked with upholding the law and I believe it's critical that their operations are conducted with transparency, accountability, and respect for the communities they affect. "My priority is ensuring that all enforcement actions are carried out in a way that upholds public safety while minimizing fear and disruption among law-abiding residents. "Local and federal agencies must work together thoughtfully to maintain trust, protect civil liberties, and ensure due process is respected at every level." This is a developing article. Updates to follow.

All us billionaires who voted Patronis must be celebrating ‘Big Beautiful Bill'
All us billionaires who voted Patronis must be celebrating ‘Big Beautiful Bill'

USA Today

time34 minutes ago

  • USA Today

All us billionaires who voted Patronis must be celebrating ‘Big Beautiful Bill'

All us billionaires who voted Patronis must be celebrating 'Big Beautiful Bill' | Letters Show Caption Hide Caption PNJ Headlines: Here's what's in the news Tuesday People react to arrest of woman with dementia, Santa Rosa zoning board controversy, and Seventy1 Bistro in Tuesday's news Opinions expressed in Letters to the Editor are those of our readers and not the Pensacola News Journal. In order for letters to be considered for publication, they must be 250 words or less and include your full name, address and phone number. Only your name and city of residence will be published. Submission does not guarantee publication. Email submissions to opinion@ All us billionaires who voted for Patronis must be celebrating now To all voters in House District 1, there was a special election on April 1. Just recently, you were asked to exercise your constitutional right to vote for your representative. The race was between Democrat Gay Valimont and Republican Jimmy Patronis. And Jimmy Patronis won. Thank you to all who voted. Just to point out that your vote counts, the U.S. House of Representatives voted this week on the 'Big Beautiful Budget' that will cut Medicaid, SNAP, and Meals on Wheels to name just a few things. And this budget will also give tax breaks to all of you billionaires. The amazing thing is that it passed by one vote! It comes down to what is important to you. If more people had voted to elect Gay Valimont, that bill would not have passed, we would not have the possibility giant cuts to Medicaid and the other cuts in this Budget. Since more people voted for Jimmy Patronis, there is the possibility that huge tax cuts will be available for the very rich. Which will affect you? If Gay Valimont had been elected on April 1, you would have been responsible for saving Medicaid and disappointing those billionaires in the neighborhood. Please don't think that your vote doesn't count. Because it does. It did. And will continue to matter. Donna Grace, Gulfport Perhaps neighborhood developers should take bear habitat into consideration Whose fault is it that bears are "encroaching" on our neighborhoods? For how many years and how many acres have people encroached on bear habitat? Maybe those responsible for giving permission for development should identify bear habitat and consider the bears. Then maybe the bears would not get a death sentence from those who moved into their land. Perhaps redevelopment of rundown areas could be considered, instead. Meg Melvin, Pensacola Pensacola Beach could do more to give warning flags better visibility As a resident of Santa Rosa and Escambia counties off and on for almost 50 years, Pensacola Beach is a big part of my life. You hear about the beach warning flag system daily on the news, which is a great thing. Arriving on Santa Rosa Island from the Bob Sikes Bridge, you immediately see the warning flag color (which can change throughout the day). If you set up at the Casino Beach parking lot, you are one of the few lucky ones that can see the warning flag. We recently rented 102 Ariola Drive for the week. There were 13 of us of whom only two could see what color the warning flag was that was flying at the end of the pier. The lifeguard trucks that roam the beach have what amounts to a small piece of colored cloth attached under a surfboard. There are a lot of American flags flying on the shoreline, but not one beach warning flag! People are chastised and berated for not following the warning flags that they cannot see! The warning flag system is a great idea but can only be followed if it is visible. It seems the lifeguard trucks can put in a little effort and fly a warning flag. Also, if you display the warning flags along with the American flags, they would be visible to many and do the job they were intended to do, save lives. Cyndi Schumaker, Milton Donald Trump's corruption must be resisted As the continuing blatant immorality and corruption of Donald Trump seems inevitable, the temptation to just accept it increases. But he will be stopped! We cannot just give up. Our voices of protest must continue to mobilize the people. Stopping Trump won't end the threat to the United States and our system of government. The demise of Marx and Hitler did not end Marxism and Fascism. Trumpism has spread to a large portion of our population. The resistance to the threat they project must continue. Our vigilance and action against them will continue. The extreme right of neo-Nazis and white Christian nationalists will not go away. But their political aims can be suppressed. Michael Gilbert, Jay Memorial Day is not for veterans, but for those who gave all This weekend is not Veterans Day. It's Memorial Day — a time not to thank the living, but to honor the fallen. I say this with the utmost sincerity, please do not thank veterans this weekend. Those of us who are veterans have our day in November. Memorial Day is for our brothers, sisters, and siblings who gave everything — the ones who didn't come home. When you thank us now, it reminds us that we made it back while they did not. It's a heavy reminder, one that intensifies the pain. This weekend is not about service — it's about sacrifice. To the estimated 22 veterans we lose to suicide daily — we remember you. Not every battle ends on the battlefield. Our hearts are with your families. The fight to support change and support service members must continue. Veterans represent every race, religion, ethnicity, and background. They spoke many languages and had families from every corner of the world. They loved in many ways. Make sure your idea of patriotism is not narrow minded. Honor all of them. To the family of SrA Fortson, we honor his service, his legacy, and his sacrifice. He was a hero. While justice may be absent, we continue to demand accountability. Christina Forrest, Navarre Why is DeSantis fighting so hard to deny climate change Floridians, it's time to get serious about combating climate change. Why is it taboo to include those words in any government legislative materials? Gov. DeSantis doesn't believe that our weather is changing in dramatic ways. He like Donald Trump dismisses the evidence that these wild weather patterns have anything to do with manmade emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. Extensive scientific studies have shown that these gases emitted into our atmosphere are heating the planet beyond normal cycles producing havoc (e.g. historic numbers of devastating storms, fires, tornadoes and droughts). DeSantis supports Donald Trump's willingness to 'drill baby drill' producing more polluting fossil fuels. DeSantis offered marginal effort to reduce damage to our environment by banning release of helium filled balloons over our waterways (known to harm/kill turtles/other sea life). Yet he has prevented cities and counties from banning the distribution of more damaging plastic bags. Encouraging the use of multiple cotton or plastic bags is a meaningful step to reducing production of petrochemicals. Estimates by reliable sources show that we Americans use approximately 100 billion single use plastic bags each year. By eliminating those bags, we could avoid production of three million barrels of oil. Wayne Seden, Gulf Breeze Never miss a story: Subscribe to the Pensacola News Journal using the link at the bottom of the page under Stay Connected.

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