Politics
Governor Ron DeSantis Holds Roundtable on Timber Recovery with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue held a roundtable discussion at the Florida Governor’s Mansion to discuss the recovery of Florida’s agriculture and timber industry from the impacts of Hurricane Michael. The Governor and Secretary were joined at the roundtable by elected officials and stakeholders from throughout the state of Florida.
“I am thankful to Secretary Perdue for meeting with us in Tallahassee this morning to discuss the recovery of our agriculture industry from Hurricane Michael, particularly our timber industry,” said Governor DeSantis. “By combining the efforts of our state and federal partners, we will work to ensure the much-needed disaster aid signed by President Trump reaches our farmers and timber growers efficiently so this industry can thrive once again.”
“When Hurricane Michael hit Florida’s panhandle last October, I came down to see for myself the extensive timber damage in the Caloosahatchee Forest,” said Secretary Perdue. “Yesterday, President Trump signed the disaster aid bill which will provide much needed resources to assist farmers, ranchers and producers dealing with extensive damage to their operations here in Florida. USDA stands ready to work with Governor DeSantis and the state of Florida to administer this aid package in a fair and efficient way.”
Photo Credit: Governor’s Press Office
On June 6th, President Donald Trump signed H.R. 2157, a bipartisan $19.1 billion supplemental spending package to assist Americans in recovery efforts from catastrophic disasters over the past three years. Included in the appropriations legislation was $480 million to help timber growers in Northwest Florida recover from the devastating impacts Hurricane Michael had on Florida’s timber industry, which is estimated to have cost as much as $1.3 billion.
Elected officials in attendance at the roundtable included Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, Congressman Ted Yoho, Senator Wilton Simpson, Senator Rob Bradley, Senator George Gainer, Senator Bill Montford, Representative Jay Trumbull, Representative Brad Drake, Representative Loranne Ausley, Representative Chuck Brannan and Representative Chuck Clemons. State officials also present included Florida Department of Citrus Executive Director Shannon Shepp, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Executive Director Eric Sutton and Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz.
Agriculture industry stakeholders in attendance included Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick, Florida Forestry Association Executive Vice President Alan Shelby, Florida Cattlemen’s Association Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard, Florida Blueberry Growers Association President Brittany Lee and Florida Citrus Mutual Director of Government Relations Matt Joyner.
Florida
Joe Strada Loans Campaign $5 Million, Launches $1 Million Ad Buy in Congressional District 11
The ad was produced by political strategist Brad Herold of Something Else Strategies and marks the first major media investment of the campaign.
$5 MILLION PERSONAL LOAN TO CAMPAIGN
Strada, founder of Strada Services, announced last week that he had loaned his congressional campaign $5 million, providing the campaign with substantial financial resources early in the election cycle.
Strada Services is one of the nation’s largest privately held, family-owned companies specializing in air conditioning, electrical, security, and plumbing services.
The campaign said the loan and advertising investment demonstrate Strada’s commitment to communicating directly with voters throughout Central Florida.
FIRST MAJOR MEDIA PUSH
The $1 million advertising effort is expected to reach voters across Florida’s 11th Congressional District through a combination of television, radio, and digital media platforms.
The campaign has positioned Strada as a conservative outsider and successful entrepreneur focused on bringing private-sector experience to Washington.
Additional details regarding future advertising and campaign events are expected in the coming weeks.
ABOUT FLORIDA’S 11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
Florida’s 11th Congressional District includes portions of Central Florida and is expected to be one of the state’s closely watched congressional races during the 2026 election cycle.
Florida
Republican Rep. Paula Stark Disqualified From Ballot, Giving Democrats Opportunity to Flip House District 47
OSCEOLA 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.
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