Florida

Rubio tells supporters he is running for White House

Published

11 years ago

April 13, 2015

The Florida National News learned US Senator Marco Rubio is in for 2016 run for the White House according to Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Sen. Marco Rubio entered the presidential race Monday by offering the nation a younger generation of leadership that breaks free of ideas “stuck in the 20th century,” a jab at both Democratic favorite Hillary Rodham Clinton and his one-time Republican mentor, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Standing in front of a banner that proclaimed “A New American Century” and repeating that refrain throughout his kickoff speech, the 43-year-old Cuban-American used his first turn as a Republican presidential candidate to take on two of America’s political dynasties. In doing so, he bet heavily on the electorate’s frustrations with Washington and his ability to change how his party is seen by voters.

“This election is not just about what laws we are going to pass,” Rubio told his evening rally. “It is a generational choice about what kind of country we will be.”

He said it’s also a choice between the haves and have-nots, nodding to his own upbringing by working-class parents. “I live an exceptional country where the son of a bartender and a maid can have the same dreams and the same future as those who come from power and privilege.”

Earlier in the day, the first-term Republican from Florida spoke to his top donors and told them many families feel the American Dream is slipping away and young Americans face unequal opportunities. He’s banking on the hope that he, alone among many GOP rivals, can make inroads with groups that have long eluded Republicans – young people, minorities and the less affluent.

“I feel uniquely qualified to not just make that argument, but to outline the policies that we need to have in order to achieve it,” he said on the donor call.

In his televised speech, he told supporters, “The time has come for our generation to lead the way toward a new American century.”

Rubio’s remarks came as Clinton was traveling to Iowa on her first trip as a candidate. Her entrance into the race with an online video Sunday is robbing some attention from Rubio’s splash into the race.

But Rubio saw an opportunity to cast the presidential contest as one between a fresh face representing a new generation of leadership and familiar faces harking back decades – namely, the 62-year-old Bush and the 67-year-old Clinton.

“While our people and economy are pushing the boundaries of the 21st century, too many of our leaders and their ideas are stuck in the 20th century,” Rubio said to applause.

The swipe at Bush was implied; with Clinton, he was more direct.

“Just yesterday, a leader from yesterday began a campaign for president by promising to take us back to yesterday,” Rubio said to jeers. “Yesterday is over and we are never going back.”

Supporters began lining up in 87-degree heat three hours before the public kickoff at Freedom Tower, the Miami landmark that was the first stop for tens of thousands of fleeing Cuban exiles during the 1960s and 1970s.

Kelly Steele, 50, and her 18-year-old son wore tie-dyed Rubio T-shirts. “We have had a lot of Bushes,” Kelly Steele said, comparing Rubio to a youthful John Kennedy.

“Sen. Rubio kind of reminds me of JFK,” she said. “He’s got that energy and desire and momentum and excitement.”

Hours before his rally, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, criticized Rubio as just another establishment Republican with no new ideas.

“He’s a follower, peddling the same tired Republican playbook,” she told reporters. “Marco Rubio has pandered to the Republican base throughout his whole career.”

To counter views of him as a neophyte, Rubio has outlined specific policy proposals both on foreign and domestic issues. He plans future presentations as his campaign gets underway.

On Tuesday, on his first day as a candidate, he is set to return to Washington to join a Senate hearing on a proposed deal with Iran on its nuclear ambitions.

Rubio faces steep challenges to the nomination, including a well-funded one that Bush is expected to offer. The son of one president and brother of another, Jeb Bush was governor while Rubio was speaker of the Florida House. The two formed a close bond, but a presidential campaign was certain to test the strength of their friendship.

Rubio is the third major GOP contender to declare himself a candidate, after Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, in a field that could grow to 20 or more.

Rubio could make history as the nation’s first Hispanic president – as could Cruz.

Florida

Joe Strada Loans Campaign $5 Million, Launches $1 Million Ad Buy in Congressional District 11

Published

10 hours ago

June 16, 2026

FNN NEWS

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.

Crimes and Courts

Attorney General Uthmeier Announces Charges Against Six in South Florida Drug Trafficking Enterprise

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2026

FNN NEWS

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced charges against six individuals accused of participating in a multi-county drug trafficking enterprise operating in Broward County and surrounding areas of South Florida.

The defendants — Isaac Lakeith Bruton, Wayne Morgan Brutton Jr., Wayne Morgan Brutton Sr., Omar Dwayne Cooper, Rene Danger Jr., and Cleon Fabian Reid — are accused of participating in an organized criminal enterprise that allegedly distributed large quantities of illegal narcotics and laundered proceeds from drug sales.

Investigation Spanned Multiple Agencies

According to the Attorney General’s Office, the charges stem from a joint investigation led by the Broward Sheriff’s Office Organized Crime Unit and the Office of Statewide Prosecution, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

“This joint investigation dismantled a criminal enterprise that pumped dangerous drugs into Florida communities,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “Through the tireless work of the Office of Statewide Prosecution and our great law enforcement partners, we are taking on more criminal prosecutions than ever before.”

Alleged Drug Trafficking Operation

Investigators allege the organization obtained and distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine, multiple pounds of marijuana, prescription pills and other controlled substances throughout South Florida.

According to authorities, members of the enterprise converted powdered cocaine into crack cocaine near distribution locations and utilized vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to transport narcotics.

The investigation further alleges that Bruton and Cooper laundered proceeds from drug sales through the purchase of vehicles, real estate, business investments, classic car restorations and jewelry.

Charges Filed

Bruton and Cooper are each charged with:

Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Money Laundering (Third-Degree Felony)

Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid are each charged with:

Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)
Conspiracy to Commit Racketeering (First-Degree Felony)

Potential Penalties

If convicted, Bruton and Cooper face up to 75 years in prison. Brutton Jr., Brutton Sr., Danger Jr., and Reid each face up to 60 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant Statewide Prosecutors Jillian Tate and Nicholas Kaleel.

Presumption of Innocence

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Florida

Republican Rep. Paula Stark Disqualified From Ballot, Giving Democrats Opportunity to Flip House District 47

Published

4 days ago

June 13, 2026

FNN NEWS

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.