Politics
DeSantis stacks conservative agenda; presidential run looms
Published
3 years agoon
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — From the death penalty to gender identity to abortion, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has cemented himself as a conservative standard bearer as he prepares to launch a presidential campaign sometime after the legislative session ends this week.
With the help of GOP supermajorities in the statehouse, the Republican has been able to push through an aggressive agenda during the legislative session that’s expected to form the base of his White House run.
Here’s a look at some of the policies:
ABORTION
DeSantis has signed a bill banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, but it won’t take effect unless the state’s current 15-week ban is upheld in an ongoing legal challenge that is before the state Supreme Court, which is controlled by conservatives.
A six-week ban in Florida would strike a devastating blow to abortion access in the South, since the nearby states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi have banned the procedure at all stages of pregnancy. Georgia forbids it after cardiac activity can be detected, which is around six weeks.
Critics, including some Republicans, have slammed the six week law as extreme, given that most women do not even realize they are pregnant in that timeframe.
“DON’T SAY GAY”
The DeSantis administration has expanded the controversial law critics call “Don’t Say Gay” to cover all grades, banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools.
The move came after DeSantis signed a bill last year that prohibited such lessons through the third grade, a policy he has championed as a means to protect children from sexualization.
But this year the DeSantis administration quietly put forward a proposal before the state Board of Education to expand the policy to grades 4-12, unless required by existing state standards or as part of reproductive health instruction that students can choose not to take. The board, which is appointed by DeSantis, approved the proposal and its set to go into effect in the coming weeks.
DeSantis’ education officials have said the policy is intended to make clear that teachers should adhere to state education curriculum.
PRONOUNS
DeSantis is expected to soon sign a bill that prevents school staffers or students from being required to refer to people by pronouns that don’t correspond to the person’s sex.
The bill, which passed this week, also bars school employees from asking students what pronoun they use and bans staffers from sharing their pronouns with students if the pronoun does not correspond with the staffer’s sex.
Additionally, the proposal would make it the policy of every public school that “a person’s sex is an immutable biological trait and that it is false to ascribe to a person a pronoun that does not correspond to such person’s sex.”
DEATH PENALTY
DeSantis has signed two major death penalty bills this year.
The first ends a unanimous jury requirement in death penalty sentencing, allowing capital punishment with jury recommendation of at least 8-4 in favor of execution. Only three states out of the 27 that impose the death penalty do not require unanimity. Alabama allows a 10-2 decision, and Missouri and Indiana let a judge decide when there is a divided jury.
The change came in response to a verdict that spared the life of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooter, who killed 17 people in 2018.
The other death penalty bill DeSantis signed allows the death penalty in child rape convictions, despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that banned capital punishment in such cases.
The law intended to get the conservative-controlled U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider a 2008 ruling that found it unconstitutional to use capital punishment in child sexual battery cases.
Florida is among a handful of states with existing laws that allow for capital punishment on child rape convictions but has not used the punishment given the high court ruling. The Florida Supreme Court has also ruled against the use of capital punishment in sexual battery convictions.
DeSantis said he believed the Supreme Court’s decision was “wrong.”
GUNS
Floridians will be able to carry concealed guns without a permit under a bill DeSantis signed this session.
The new law will allow anyone who can legally own a gun in Florida to carry one without a permit. It means training and a background check will not be required to carry concealed guns in public. It takes effect July 1.
Nearly 3 million Floridians have a concealed weapons permit. While a background check and three-day waiting period will still be required to purchase a gun from a licensed dealer, they are not required for private transactions or exchanges of weapons.
DeSantis has said he thinks Florida should go even further and allow people to openly carry guns. While some lawmakers have pushed for open carry, it doesn’t appear the Legislature will pass such legislation this session.
Still, the governor has boosted the law, releasing a statement that read “Constitutional Carry is in the books” after he signed it into law.
DIVERSTIY
Another bill that awaits the governor’s signature is one that bans colleges from using state or federal funding for diversity, equity and inclusion programs, a consistent target of DeSantis.
Such initiatives, sometimes referred to as DEI, have come under increasing criticism from Republicans who argue the programs are racially divisive.
The proposal comes a year after he signed legislation dubbed the Stop WOKE Act, which restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses. The law bars instruction that says members of one race are inherently racist or should feel guilt for past actions committed by others of the same race, among other things.
DISNEY
DeSantis also continued his long-running feud with Disney this year.
The company came into his crosshairs for criticizing the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law last year.
As punishment, DeSantis dissolved Disney World’s self-governing district and appointed a new board of supervisors that would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks. But before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.
Disney sued DeSantis in federal court in a case that said the governor waged a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” after the company opposed the sexual orientation and gender identity law.
Now, DeSantis is poised to sign bills to enhance state oversight of the resort’s monorail as well as undo agreements made by the Disney board before the state took it over.
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Florida
Republican Rep. Paula Stark Disqualified From Ballot, Giving Democrats Opportunity to Flip House District 47
Published
2 days agoon
June 13, 2026OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida State Rep. Paula Stark has been disqualified from seeking reelection in Florida House District 47 after failing to satisfy candidate qualifying requirements before the noon Friday filing deadline.
According to state election records, Stark’s candidacy was disqualified due to a deficiency involving required financial disclosure filings, commonly referred to as Form 6. Florida law requires candidates for legislative office to timely submit all qualifying documents, including financial disclosure forms, to appear on the ballot.
Form 6 Financial Disclosure Requirement
Form 6 is a public financial disclosure document required for state elected officials and candidates. The form requires candidates to disclose assets, liabilities, sources of income, and other financial interests.
The disclosure includes a sworn certification stating: “Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing Form 6 and that the facts stated in it are true.”
Candidates are required to complete, sign and timely file the disclosure as part of Florida’s qualifying process. Failure to properly file required qualifying documents, including Form 6, by the statutory deadline can result in disqualification from the ballot.
Democrats Advance to Primary Election
With Stark removed from contention, Democrats now have an opportunity to capture the Republican-held seat in House District 47.
The only candidates remaining in the race are:
- Jorge Figueroa, President of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida
- Anthony Nieves, a state investigator
The two Democrats will compete in the Aug. 18 Democratic Primary, with the winner becoming Representative-Elect.
House District 47 covers portions of Osceola County and has been represented by Stark since her election to the Florida House.
The disqualification was among the most notable developments of Florida’s 2026 candidate qualifying period and significantly alters the political landscape in a district Republicans had hoped to retain.
Central Florida News
State Rep. Bruce Antone Wins Reelection Unopposed
Published
3 days agoon
June 12, 2026By
Willie DavidORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida State Representative Bruce Antone has won reelection to the Florida House after qualifying for the 2026 election cycle without opposition.
Antone, who represents portions of Orange County, remains the longest-serving Democratic state lawmaker in Orange County and one of the most senior members of Florida’s Democratic legislative delegation.
Following his reelection, Antone thanked supporters in a statement posted on Facebook.
“Today, I was reelected to the Florida House of Representatives. I didn’t have any opposition. Thank you to everyone who has supported me during my time and tenure in the Florida House of Representatives,” Antone wrote.
Under Florida election law, candidates who qualify for office without opposition are automatically elected and do not appear on the ballot.
Antone will begin another term in the Florida House as lawmakers prepare for the 2027 Legislative Session in Tallahassee.
Florida
Alan Grayson Returns to Politics, Eyes Cory Mills’ Congressional Seat
Published
3 days agoon
June 12, 2026SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) — Former U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson, one of Florida’s most recognizable Democratic firebrands, has entered the race for Florida’s 7th Congressional District, setting up what could become one of the state’s most closely watched congressional contests of 2026.
Grayson’s late entry adds a high-profile name to the Democratic primary as the party seeks to unseat incumbent U.S. Representative Cory Mills. The race is expected to generate significant political attention and sharp contrasts between Democrats and Republicans heading into the August primary and November general election.
THE RETURN OF A DEMOCRATIC FIREBRAND
Among Democrats, Grayson remains known for his outspoken criticism of Republican leaders and his combative political style. Supporters view him as a proven campaigner and effective debater who built a national profile during his time in Congress.
Grayson was first elected to Congress in 2008, representing Florida’s 8th Congressional District. After serving one term, he was defeated by a Republican challenger in 2010. He returned to Congress in 2012 after winning election in Florida’s 9th Congressional District and served two additional terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
ETHICS QUESTIONS SURROUND INCUMBENT
Mills enters the race while facing ongoing scrutiny related to ethics matters.
The Office of Congressional Ethics previously investigated Mills and reported that government contracts had been awarded to entities owned by Mills since January 2024. In November 2025, the House Ethics Committee established an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations involving potential fraud and two reported incidents involving Mills’ conduct toward women.
Mills has denied wrongdoing.
DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TAKES SHAPE
Grayson joins a Democratic field that includes former Navy nuclear reactor plant supervisor Marialana Kinter and former NASA’s Chief of Staff Bale Dalton.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has identified Florida’s 7th Congressional District as a top target in Democrats’ effort to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives and backed Dalton.
REPUBLICAN CHALLENGERS EMERGE
On the Republican side, former FOX 35 news anchor Ryan Elijah, businesswoman Sarah Ulrich, and self-described “Reagan Republican” Don Johnson are challenging Mills in the Republican primary.
LOOKING AHEAD
With Grayson’s entry, Florida’s 7th Congressional District is poised to become one of the state’s most competitive and closely followed races. The contest now features a well-known Democratic firebrand, an incumbent facing ethics scrutiny, and multiple challengers from both parties seeking to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction and shifting political dynamics.
Florida’s primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2026.
#AlanGrayson #CoryMills #FL07 #FloridaPolitics #CongressionalRace #Election2026 #Democrats #Republicans #SeminoleCounty #FloridaNationalNews
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