Latest news with #TheFloridian
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Mississippi State commit Adam Land 'can't wait to get to Stark Vegas'
The spring season was very good to Adam Land. The Lynn Haven (Fla.) Mosley tight end saw his list roll beyond a dozen scholarship offers, but he continued to make stops in Starkville over about all other contenders in his recruitment. Advertisement The Bulldogs returned the favor, from Jeff Lebby to Jon Cooper visiting him on multiple occasions this spring alone. It built comfort on both sides and the rising-senior elected to end his recruitment with a pair of phone calls on Tuesday. Mississippi State suddenly added a 10th pledge to the class of 2026. "I have had a different relationship with Coach Coop since the beginning and have been to Starkville four or five times since last summer," Land told Rivals. "It just feels like my place. "It's always felt laid back and comfortable." The three-sport standout was set to make an official visit to MSU next weekend, but saw no point in waiting to deliver the good news to the staff. Advertisement "Every time we have been to State they show us something different," he said. "I was waiting for my official and then just decided there was no reason to wait so I called Coach Cooper last night and made it official. "Coach Lebby called me today (Tuesday) and I guess that really made it official." CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info Land was scheduled to see Pittsburgh this weekend, but he tells Rivals that trip has been canceled. Advertisement The Floridian is all Bulldog at this point, with Cooper's consistency sitting as a key reason for the SEC commitment. "Coach Cooper was at my first ever mega camp last May and he followed the tight end group and coached me up between reps," he said. "Two days later he invited me to come to Starkville to camp and two days after that I was there working out... "About five months later, he and State were my first D1 offer and we have been tighter every week since." Also a standout basketball and baseball player, Land projects like a flex tight end who operates best in space as a matchup problem for smaller defenders.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ron DeSantis was laying the groundwork for his successor. Then Trump took a different path.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis had a message for donors and other important Republican backers over the last few weeks: Don't throw your support to Rep. Byron Donalds, because Casey DeSantis was seriously considering jumping into the 2026 race for governor. That message was upended last Thursday night with a single social media post by President Donald Trump emphatically endorsing Donalds. And Trump's decision may have also derailed an effort to preserve Gov. DeSantis' conservative legacy ahead of another potential presidential run. Three Republican operatives and consultants, who were granted anonymity to disclose details of the effort to promote Casey DeSantis, said the governor made calls requesting people hold off on support for the congressmember to donors and potential Donalds boosters — including some who showed up on a social media post in which Trump touted a poll showing Donalds leading among potential GOP candidates. (That poll did not include Casey DeSantis.) Two of the Republicans said that both the governor and the first lady were planning on meeting with Trump to discuss the governor's race during a planned visit late last week to Washington with other governors. It is not clear whether the proposed meeting, which was first reported by conservative news website The Floridian, took place, though the two did attend Saturday's dinner with governors at the White House. Now DeSantis, who has arguably risen to become the most powerful governor in Florida history, may leave office without an anointed heir dedicated to preserving DeSantis' efforts in a wide array of legislative and policy battles. During his six years in office, he became a conservative star as he pushed back against Covid-19 protocols and leapt into political fights over gender and racial identity. But DeSantis on Monday at a Tampa press conference criticized Donalds when asked about the endorsement. He suggested Donalds needed to focus on helping Trump in Congress and that Donalds 'just hasn't been part of any of the victories we have had over the left the last few years.' The governor also predicted that if Casey DeSantis were to run for governor, she would win by a larger margin than he did in 2022. Some longtime allies of Trump said whoever the president supports is destined to win in a state that is now firmly Republican. 'Trump is going to decide the elections in Florida in 2026,' said state Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota). 'He controls the party, he controls the state — and there's nothing that anybody can do to change that.' Personal injury lawyer Dan Newlin, a donor who Trump named as ambassador to Colombia, described Donalds as someone who'd shown 'unwavering dedication' to the president's election and predicted a 'significant victory.' He didn't get calls from DeSantis about the 2026 race, but called them a 'significant political mistake.' One of the three GOP operatives said this about Donalds: 'I think he's the nominee until someone comes up with a way to dethrone him.' Donalds, who once was close to DeSantis, has not officially entered the race but appears likely to do so very soon. During a Friday afternoon appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Donalds lauded both Gov. DeSantis and former Gov. Rick Scott, adding that 'Florida is not going to stop leading.' He then said to 'stay tuned' about his own future plans. The Trump endorsement now puts the sitting governor and first lady in an awkward spot — although at least one operative said Casey DeSantis may run anyway. Lobbyists and donors in Tallahassee had already seen Casey DeSantis as a 'beautiful, elegant solution' to the question of who would replace Ron DeSantis as governor, said a Florida Republican consultant, also granted anonymity to relay private conversations. Another GOP consultant argued that Casey DeSantis — who had launched several high-profile initiatives including one called Hope Florida — already had a record rivaling that of other governors. 'She's one of the rare political spouses,' DeSantis said about his wife recently in an interview on Fox News Channel's 'The Ingraham Angle.' 'Even though I'm probably the most conservative governor in the country, she may even be more conservative than me.' She also could help preserve and amplify the governor's changes to state government. One lobbyist, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they'd seen data showing DeSantis and Trump endorsements tended to cancel each other out in statewide primaries. 'I'm entertained by the lobbyists who have convinced themselves that the Trump endorsement ended the race, or that we haven't all been 18 months out from a primary looking at a front runner who didn't ultimately win,' the person said. The governor, during his tenure, has also remade the state Supreme Court and has been able to overhaul the state's higher education system by installing allies on university boards and as university presidents. Last week, he elevated his chief of staff to the post of attorney general after appointing Ashley Moody to fill Marco Rubio's spot in the Senate. Before James Uthmeier was sworn into his new job on Monday, DeSantis noted the new attorney general could wind up serving 10 years because he would still be eligible to run for two terms. DeSantis will soon also get to pick someone to replace Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, due to the CFO's run for Congress. At one point, Moody was seen as a potential heir apparent, but DeSantis instead tapped her for the U.S. Senate after Rubio was chosen to be Trump's secretary of State. One DeSantis supporter contended the governor 'had sacrificed a potential torch hand-off for the good of the country.' Another Republican operative suggested DeSantis can't have it both ways. The governor has constantly criticized the lack of term limits in Congress. 'This is term limits — fundamentally, you believe in closing the page,' the operative said. 'How can he want to have a legacy if he believes in term limits?' The short list of potential heirs, however, also points to the strained relationship DeSantis has had with other Republicans, including Trump. DeSantis himself was helped into the governor's mansion with a timely endorsement from Trump back in 2018. But the governor decided to challenge Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, only to come in a distant second during the Iowa caucuses. Some of those working on Trump's campaign — including Susie Wiles, the current White House chief of staff — had their own falling out with DeSantis. Donalds was once close enough to DeSantis that he spoke ahead of him on stage during the governor's reelection victory party. But the relationship cooled after the congressman endorsed Trump over DeSantis for president and after Donalds criticized Florida's revamped education standards. Trump's endorsement of Donalds was seen as a reminder of his sway among Republicans. 'It sends an undeniable message that Trump has a long memory, and anybody who dares challenge his endorsed candidates in Florida will find themselves caught in his crosshairs,' said Max Goodman, a southwest Florida Republican consultant. The question now: How do the DeSantises move forward? One DeSantis supporter highly doubted the governor would suddenly back Donalds especially since he has close to two years left in office. 'There's no political benefit for the governor to do anything that leads to a lame duck status,' the person said. 'To endorse Byron would lead to a lame duck status.
Politico
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Ron DeSantis was laying the groundwork for his successor. Then Trump took a different path.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Gov. Ron DeSantis and first lady Casey DeSantis had a message for donors and other important Republican backers over the last few weeks: Don't throw your support to Rep. Byron Donalds, because Casey DeSantis was seriously considering jumping into the 2026 race for governor. That message was upended last Thursday night with a single social media post by President Donald Trump emphatically endorsing Donalds. And Trump's decision may have also derailed an effort to preserve Gov. DeSantis' conservative legacy ahead of another potential presidential run. Three Republican operatives and consultants, who were granted anonymity to disclose details of the effort to promote Casey DeSantis, said the governor made calls requesting people hold off on support for the congressmember to donors and potential Donalds boosters — including some who showed up on a social media post in which Trump touted a poll showing Donalds leading among potential GOP candidates. (That poll did not include Casey DeSantis.) Two of the Republicans said that both the governor and the first lady were planning on meeting with Trump to discuss the governor's race during a planned visit late last week to Washington with other governors. It is not clear whether the proposed meeting, which was first reported by conservative news website The Floridian, took place, though the two did attend Saturday's dinner with governors at the White House. Now DeSantis, who has arguably risen to become the most powerful governor in Florida history, may leave office without an anointed heir dedicated to preserving DeSantis' efforts in a wide array of legislative and policy battles. During his six years in office, he became a conservative star as he pushed back against Covid-19 protocols and leapt into political fights over gender and racial identity. But DeSantis on Monday at a Tampa press conference criticized Donalds when asked about the endorsement. He suggested Donalds needed to focus on helping Trump in Congress and that Donalds 'just hasn't been part of any of the victories we have had over the left the last few years.' The governor also predicted that if Casey DeSantis were to run for governor, she would win by a larger margin than he did in 2022. Some longtime allies of Trump said whoever the president supports is destined to win in a state that is now firmly Republican. 'Trump is going to decide the elections in Florida in 2026,' said state Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota). 'He controls the party, he controls the state — and there's nothing that anybody can do to change that.' Personal injury lawyer Dan Newlin, a donor who Trump named as ambassador to Colombia, described Donalds as someone who'd shown 'unwavering dedication' to the president's election and predicted a 'significant victory.' He didn't get calls from DeSantis about the 2026 race, but called them a 'significant political mistake.' One of the three GOP operatives said this about Donalds: 'I think he's the nominee until someone comes up with a way to dethrone him.' Donalds, who once was close to DeSantis, has not officially entered the race but appears likely to do so very soon. During a Friday afternoon appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Donalds lauded both Gov. DeSantis and former Gov. Rick Scott, adding that 'Florida is not going to stop leading.' He then said to 'stay tuned' about his own future plans. The Trump endorsement now puts the sitting governor and first lady in an awkward spot — although at least one operative said Casey DeSantis may run anyway. Lobbyists and donors in Tallahassee had already seen Casey DeSantis as a 'beautiful, elegant solution' to the question of who would replace Ron DeSantis as governor, said a Florida Republican consultant, also granted anonymity to relay private conversations. Another GOP consultant argued that Casey DeSantis — who had launched several high-profile initiatives including one called Hope Florida — already had a record rivaling that of other governors. 'She's one of the rare political spouses,' DeSantis said about his wife recently in an interview on Fox News Channel's 'The Ingraham Angle.' 'Even though I'm probably the most conservative governor in the country, she may even be more conservative than me.' She also could help preserve and amplify the governor's changes to state government. One lobbyist, granted anonymity to speak candidly, said they'd seen data showing DeSantis and Trump endorsements tended to cancel each other out in statewide primaries. 'I'm entertained by the lobbyists who have convinced themselves that the Trump endorsement ended the race, or that we haven't all been 18 months out from a primary looking at a front runner who didn't ultimately win,' the person said. The governor, during his tenure, has also remade the state Supreme Court and has been able to overhaul the state's higher education system by installing allies on university boards and as university presidents. Last week, he elevated his chief of staff to the post of attorney general after appointing Ashley Moody to fill Marco Rubio's spot in the Senate. Before James Uthmeier was sworn into his new job on Monday, DeSantis noted the new attorney general could wind up serving 10 years because he would still be eligible to run for two terms. DeSantis will soon also get to pick someone to replace Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, due to the CFO's run for Congress. At one point, Moody was seen as a potential heir apparent, but DeSantis instead tapped her for the U.S. Senate after Rubio was chosen to be Trump's secretary of State. One DeSantis supporter contended the governor 'had sacrificed a potential torch hand-off for the good of the country.' Another Republican operative suggested DeSantis can't have it both ways. The governor has constantly criticized the lack of term limits in Congress. 'This is term limits — fundamentally, you believe in closing the page,' the operative said. 'How can he want to have a legacy if he believes in term limits?' The short list of potential heirs, however, also points to the strained relationship DeSantis has had with other Republicans, including Trump. DeSantis himself was helped into the governor's mansion with a timely endorsement from Trump back in 2018. But the governor decided to challenge Trump for the GOP presidential nomination, only to come in a distant second during the Iowa caucuses. Some of those working on Trump's campaign — including Susie Wiles, the current White House chief of staff — had their own falling out with DeSantis. Donalds was once close enough to DeSantis that he spoke ahead of him on stage during the governor's reelection victory party. But the relationship cooled after the congressman endorsed Trump over DeSantis for president and after Donalds criticized Florida's revamped education standards. Trump's endorsement of Donalds was seen as a reminder of his sway among Republicans. 'It sends an undeniable message that Trump has a long memory, and anybody who dares challenge his endorsed candidates in Florida will find themselves caught in his crosshairs,' said Max Goodman, a southwest Florida Republican consultant. The question now: How do the DeSantises move forward? One DeSantis supporter highly doubted the governor would suddenly back Donalds especially since he has close to two years left in office. 'There's no political benefit for the governor to do anything that leads to a lame duck status,' the person said. 'To endorse Byron would lead to a lame duck status.
Al Bawaba
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Sophie Rain earns $43M on OnlyFans: To her, It doesn't conflict with Christian values
ALBAWABA - Growing up in Tampa, Florida, Sophie Rain the famous OnlyFans star went to church every Sunday with her family. At 20, Sophie Rain earns nearly $43 million, a life-changing sum. Despite what some may think, she's proud to announce she's made a lot of money publishing revealing and sometimes graphic videos on OnlyFans. After sharing her year-over-year revenue on X, formerly known as Twitter, the online model gained significant attention. She's been "thankful" and open to uncertain responses. "You can call me whatever you want," she replied to a remark about her modeling status. "I will be laughing my way to the bank." Sophie Rain Instagram profile The Floridian's apathy to hate goes beyond social media. The internet personality told PEOPLE exclusively that negative comments don't stop her from posting behind a paywall for her millions of followers. Instead, it motivates her to keep creating stuff. "Honestly, the people who hate me online—and post mean comments and everything—are what motivates me to just keep growing, to keep booming, and to keep doing my own thing," she says. "They become agitated for no reason. No one knows me." For all the loud naysayers who try to pull Rain down, she has plenty of supporters who show their devotion with huge tips. Charles is her highest-paying donor. Rain received roughly $5 million from Charles between November 2023 and 2024. Rain doesn't know the man, but she claims their relationship isn't odd. "We talk a lot, so I do know a lot that happens with him," she continues, "but I know him from OnlyFans." Something she doesn't know? She avoids guessing Charles' age. I avoid asking for myself. "He's older," Rain remarks. "I know many of my admirers are older; therefore, I don't want to know their ages. Sometimes, learning their ages feels like conversing with my grandfather. Rain claims she has a fantastic support system offline and behind the scenes to help her negotiate the "ups and downs" of posting content on OnlyFans since May 2023. Some of her close friends have profiles on the adult entertainment giant. Sophie Rain Instagram profile Other family members rejected Rain's OnlyFans profile after discovering it. She claims her manager dismissed her from a restaurant after discovering her account was rising thanks to her sister Sierra, a fellow OnlyFans creator. Rain's originally dissatisfied family members understood the idea once she spoke about it more honestly, unlike her prior boss. Rain's lifestyle differs from her past in numerous ways. Her family suffered and relied on food assistance, she said. Her parents are fervent Christians, so Rain attended church every Sunday. However, the influencer still possesses this trait. Christian identity is important to her. She still watches her "home church" in Tampa stream online. Rain no longer perceives a conflict between her commitment to Christianity and her work in adult entertainment. While her OnlyFans profit shows Rain's climb to prosperity, she claims she hasn't totally overcome her childhood frugality. She's still in disbelief of how much money she's made; therefore, her lifestyle doesn't match her eight-digit wage. Her exceptions include buying her "dream car," a 2024 Porsche GT3 RS. She rents a "beautiful" Miami waterfront house and hopes to buy her parents a home by year's end. It'll be "their first house that they're going to own," adds Rain. "And I'm really excited."
