FORT MYERS, Fla. (FNN) — President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a midterm rally in Fort Myers on Friday, Oct. 23, bringing his campaign efforts to the congressional district represented by his endorsed candidate for Florida governor, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds.

Donalds, the Republican nominee, faces Democrat David Jolly in the Nov. 3 election. If elected, Donalds would become Florida’s first Black governor, succeeding term-limited Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds speaks at a Turning Point Action event in Florida. Photo by Roman Garay / Florida National News.

Rally Set for Oct. 23

Trump’s remarks are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m., with doors opening at 10:30 a.m., according to the Republican Party’s event registration page. All times are Eastern.

Gulf Coast News reports that the rally will take place at Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University. However, the official GOP registration page still lists the venue as “To Be Announced.” Attendees should check that page for confirmation and updates.

Prominent conservative figures, including Tucker Carlson, then-former President Donald Trump, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Megyn Kelly, rallied Republican voters during the Turning Point Action Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, July 15-16, 2023.
Photo by Roman D. Garay / Florida National News.

Trump’s Endorsement Connects President to Historic Bid

Trump has endorsed Donalds, whose campaign lists the president among its prominent Republican supporters. The Fort Myers visit places Trump in Donalds’ Southwest Florida political base during the closing weeks of the election.

Following his primary victory, Donalds acknowledged Trump’s influence among Republican voters.

“Obviously, he has the strongest following of anybody in our party,” Donalds said, according to Associated Press reporting.

A Donalds victory would give Florida its first Black governor and extend Republican leadership in the governor’s office. Trump’s endorsement connects the president to that potentially historic outcome, although the rally announcement does not identify the event as exclusively supporting Donalds.

Republican Unity and Voter Turnout

Donalds called for Republicans to unite after the primary, telling supporters, “Tonight we are one united Republican Party,” according to the AP.

The Fort Myers rally will provide Trump another platform to address supporters ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The published event announcement confirms his appearance but does not list additional speakers.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (FNN) — Orange County mayoral candidate Tiffany Moore Russell plans to attend Orlando’s Come Out With Pride celebration and visit churches across the county this weekend as her campaign reaches voters ahead of early voting, according to a campaign announcement.

The Oct. 17-18 stops will give residents opportunities to discuss their priorities with Moore Russell. Candidates, elected officials, community leaders and supporters are expected to join her at various locations, the campaign said.

“This weekend is about traveling across Orange County, meeting residents where they are and hearing directly from them about the future of our community,” Moore Russell said in the announcement. “That is the kind of Mayor I will be — present, accessible and focused on delivering for the people of Orange County.”

Saturday: Come Out With Pride

Moore Russell is scheduled to participate in the Most Colorful Parade at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, in downtown Orlando, according to her campaign.

The campaign lists the parade’s starting point as Washington Street and Orange Avenue, with the route concluding at Lake Eola Park. Moore Russell’s appearance will highlight her support for Orange County’s LGBTQ+ community, the announcement said.

Sunday: Church Visits Across Orange County

Moore Russell’s community church tour is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, at Saint Mark AME Church, 1968 Bruton Blvd., Orlando.

She will then visit additional churches throughout Orange County to meet with congregations, according to the campaign. The announcement did not identify the other churches or provide a complete schedule.

Affordability, Transportation and Small Businesses

During the weekend stops, Moore Russell plans to discuss housing affordability, transportation connections to jobs, support for small and local businesses, and improvements to county government services.

The campaign described those issues as central to her vision for the county but did not outline specific policy proposals in the announcement.

Early Voting Begins Oct. 19

Early voting in Orange County runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, according to the Orange County Supervisor of Elections. Registered Orange County voters may cast ballots at any of the county’s 27 early voting locations.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters casting ballots on Election Day must use their assigned polling place.

The Orlando-based civil rights association recalls supporting the former U.N. human rights chief’s 2012 call for an investigation into the teenager’s killing in Sanford.

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — The Florida Civil Rights Association is congratulating 2026 Nobel Peace Prize winner Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, recalling her call for an investigation into Trayvon Martin’s killing and the international attention it brought to questions of racial equality and justice in Florida.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Pillay’s selection Oct. 9 for her efforts to promote peace and international law. The South African jurist served as United Nations high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014 and helped shape landmark international court decisions.

In a press release, FCRA President J. Willie David III said Pillay’s intervention connected a Florida family’s demand for answers to a broader concern for human rights.

“Pillay’s call for an investigation reinforced that a family’s demand for justice in Sanford mattered beyond Florida and the United States,” David said.

“We welcomed her intervention in 2012 because families deserve answers and the law must protect everyone equally.”

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay (Photo credit: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre)

FCRA recalls its response in 2012

Martin, an unarmed Black 17-year-old, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, northeast of Orlando.

In April 2012, Pillay called for an immediate investigation into the killing as the case drew international attention and scrutiny of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law.

FCRA welcomed that call. The association’s current release cites an April 7, 2012, West Orlando News report that quoted David discussing the case’s global impact.

“The shooting death of Trayvon Martin and Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law have created a worldwide movement that calls into question how justice is delivered to victims of color,” David said at the time, according to the release.

FCRA describes the activism surrounding Martin’s death as a defining moment that galvanized a new generation of civil rights advocates.

Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and acquitted in July 2013. In February 2015, the U.S. Justice Department closed its separate investigation, finding insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges.

The Florida Civil Rights Association (FCRA) held a press conference outside the State of Florida’s regional offices in Orlando in 2012, calling on then-Gov. Rick Scott to take action following Trayvon Martin’s killing. Photo by FCRA.

Why Florida’s case drew global scrutiny

The Florida connection shows how the handling of a local killing can draw international scrutiny over racial discrimination, access to justice and the protection of human rights.

Pillay’s intervention brought those concerns into the international discussion surrounding Martin’s death. In September 2013, U.N. human rights experts also urged the United States to complete its civil rights investigation and examine concerns about racial profiling.

The significance lies in human rights oversight: how public institutions investigate deaths and provide equal treatment can attract attention beyond national borders. Pillay’s call was an appeal for investigation, rather than an international court judgment about Zimmerman’s guilt or Florida’s compliance with international law.

For FCRA, that connection remains relevant to how Florida leaders evaluate laws and practices affecting the communities they serve.

Pillay’s record in international justice

Pillay challenged discrimination under apartheid before serving on South Africa’s High Court, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.

At the Rwanda tribunal, she was part of the judicial panel that established that rape and sexual violence can constitute acts of genocide, a landmark development in international criminal law.

David said honoring that career should also encourage accountability at home.

“Her Nobel Peace Prize recognizes a career built on confronting injustice through the rule of law,” he said. “Honoring that work means demanding transparent investigations and equal protection here at home. Rights belong to everyone.”

A renewed call for fairness in Florida

FCRA urged Florida leaders to safeguard impartial investigations, examine whether Stand Your Ground and other laws are applied fairly, and address policies or practices that produce discriminatory outcomes.

Founded in 2005, the association advocates for civil rights, human rights and civil liberties through education, advocacy and accountability. Its statement links Pillay’s international recognition to a continuing demand for fairness and human dignity in Florida.