ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — FL NOW PAC has announced endorsements in several Orange County School Board races, citing candidates’ positions on public education, women’s rights, equality, LGBTQIA+ rights and other issues prioritized by the organization.

According to the PAC, candidates seeking its endorsement completed a questionnaire addressing policy areas tied to the National Organization for Women’s issue platform, including freedom from violence against women, racial justice, reproductive health care, economic justice and constitutional equality.

“FL NOW PAC believes these candidates are ready to tackle critical issues affecting our communities especially affordability in housing, cost of living, insurance, Medicaid and SNAP, providing critical support to millions of Floridians,” FL NOW PAC President Julie Kent said in the organization’s announcement.

The PAC said it believes its endorsed candidates will support public education, democratic institutions and policies aligned with the organization’s priorities.

Angie Gallo

FL NOW PAC highlighted Angie Gallo’s support for public education, diversity, student empowerment, higher teacher pay and increased resources for teachers and students.

Gallo has served eight years on the Orange County School Board representing District 1, according to the PAC’s announcement.

The organization said Gallo supports the right of all students to receive an education and emphasized her experience on the board as part of its endorsement.

Melissa Vickers

FL NOW PAC also endorsed Melissa Vickers, describing her as a Florida A&M University College of Law graduate, Edgewater High School alumna, Latina and mother of two.

Vickers is executive director and co-founder of the Orlando Center for Justice, an organization focused on legal services and access to justice.

According to FL NOW PAC, Vickers has centered her professional work on helping families access opportunities and protecting their legal rights.

Gloria Pickar

The PAC also announced its support for Gloria Pickar, noting her legal education and focus on issues affecting families experiencing economic hardship.

According to the endorsement announcement, Pickar earned her law degree from the University of Florida with a concentration in poverty research.

FL NOW PAC said Pickar’s campaign emphasizes academic achievement, school safety, educator support and preparing students for success beyond the classroom.

The organization said Pickar wants Orange County Public Schools to focus on measurable student outcomes and strengthening public schools.

FL NOW PAC Outlines Endorsement Priorities

FL NOW PAC said its endorsement process focuses on candidates whose positions align with the organization’s priorities involving women’s equality, civil rights, economic justice and public education.

The PAC also said its endorsed candidates support what it described as efforts to defend constitutional principles and address ethical concerns in government.

The endorsements represent FL NOW PAC’s latest involvement in local Orange County elections as candidates compete for seats overseeing one of Florida’s largest public school systems.

Chris Godwin Jr. is healthier, Ted Hurst III continues to impress and Tampa Bay prepares to test its revamped roster against New York

TAMPA, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles says the combination of veteran and rookie additions has brought a noticeable change in leadership, attitude and toughness to the team as Tampa Bay prepares for joint practices with the New York Jets.

Following Sunday’s training camp practice, Bowles praised the impact of the Buccaneers’ offseason additions and said the difference has been significant.

“It’s huge. I mean, it’s night and day with the veterans that came in and with the rookies that have come in, just from a leadership standpoint, an attitude standpoint, a mentality and study habits,” Bowles said.

Bowles specifically mentioned Kenny Gainwell, Alex Anzalone, A’Shawn Robinson, Josiah Trotter, Rueben Bain Jr. and Rakeem Nuñez-Roches among players helping shape the team’s mentality.

“It’s been a breath of fresh air to see, and everybody gravitates toward them,” Bowles said.

Bowles: Chris Godwin Jr. ‘Peaking at the Right Time’

One of the more encouraging developments for Tampa Bay has been the condition of veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr.

Bowles said Godwin enters this stage of camp healthier than he has been in recent years.

“I think he’s healthier right now,” Bowles said. “Years past he’s been hurt the last two [training camps], but he’s a lot healthier right now.”

Bowles praised Godwin’s mental sharpness, toughness and leadership while emphasizing that the veteran remains an important playmaker in both the passing and blocking games.

“I think right now he’s peaking at the right time,” Bowles said.

Ted Hurst III Making His Case

Wide receiver Ted Hurst III also drew attention during Sunday’s practice, particularly for his ability to make contested catches.

“He can go up and get the ball,” Bowles said. “You see it on his college tape as well, and those are good things to see.”

Hurst said he is trying to establish that ability as a defining part of his game.

“[I’m] just trying to be myself and exploit and show that that’s my game, going up, attacking the ball,” Hurst said.

Cornerback Jacob Parrish also singled out Hurst when asked which receivers have challenged him during camp.

“I’ll say Ted Hurst [III] — he had a very good catch on me today, actually,” Parrish said. “He’s a rookie, very tall, good at running, very fast.”

Hurst said his first NFL training camp has reinforced how much attention to detail is required at the professional level.

“These are the best athletes in the world and everything’s detailed,” Hurst said.

Buccaneers Defense Showing New Energy

Parrish said Tampa Bay’s defensive additions have brought a different attitude to the unit.

“I would say it’s just the energy and the guys we brought in,” Parrish said. “They got an edge to them.”

Bowles also praised Parrish’s development, describing him as one of Tampa Bay’s best coverage defenders alongside Zyon McCollum.

“He’s very quick,” Bowles said. “He’s right up there with Zyon as one of our best cover guys, and he can play inside as well, so that makes him very versatile.”

Bowles said Parrish’s improved understanding of the defensive scheme has allowed him to rely on more than his athletic ability entering his second season.

Josiah Trotter Brings Old-School Physicality

Bowles offered a colorful assessment of linebacker Josiah Trotter when asked what distinguishes him from other linebackers he has coached.

“He’s almost like a new-school linebacker in an old-school body,” Bowles said.

The coach said Trotter combines size and athleticism with an aggressive downhill playing style.

“He really knows how to play the game, and he really plays with intent to do serious harm,” Bowles said.

Parrish similarly praised Trotter’s intensity while discussing Tampa Bay’s young defensive players.

Rueben Bain Jr. Impresses Nuñez-Roches

Veteran defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, back with Tampa Bay after spending time with the New York Giants, said he has been impressed with rookie outside linebacker Rueben Bain Jr.’s approach.

“Rueben is impressive,” Nuñez-Roches said. “Just to see him with his poise, the way that he stacks his rushes, his approach to the game, even just the way he watches his film on the sideline in between plays.”

Nuñez-Roches said Bain actively seeks advice on ways to improve between plays.

“I can’t wait to see what he does this season,” Nuñez-Roches said.

Ayden Garnes Continues Development

Bowles also highlighted cornerback Ayden Garnes as a young player showing significant improvement since offseason workouts.

Bowles said Garnes appears to have developed a better understanding of Tampa Bay’s defensive scheme, allowing him to play faster and more consistently.

Hurst also praised Garnes’ preparation and film study.

“Every time I walk around, I see him looking at film or I just see him studying this game and taking it to the field,” Hurst said. “He’s definitely a great competitor.”

Buccaneers Turn Attention to Jets

Tampa Bay’s next test comes against unfamiliar competition as the Buccaneers prepare for joint practices with the New York Jets in New Jersey.

Bowles said practicing against another organization provides an opportunity to evaluate whether Tampa Bay’s players can execute their assignments against a different system.

“Here, it can get a little mundane when you go against the same guy every day,” Bowles said.

The joint practices will also give Tampa Bay coaches an opportunity to evaluate players such as David Walker against outside competition.

Bowles emphasized that the objective is productive football work — not fighting.

“That’s not what we’re going up there for,” Bowles said. “We’re going up there to practice and get better.”

With Tampa Bay moving deeper into its preseason preparations, Bowles said Sunday’s practice provided another sign that the offense and defense are beginning to operate more cohesively.

“We’re functioning better as a unit,” Bowles said, “so that’s the overall picture for both sides of the football going into next week.”

Two ActBlue employees hold key roles in a Florida House campaign and supporting PAC that raised about $217,000 combined, raising questions about what endorsers knew before recommending the candidate to voters

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — Continuing national scrutiny surrounding Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue is intersecting with a Florida House race, raising questions about candidate vetting, endorsement due diligence and what voters should know before casting their ballots.

Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a Democratic candidate for Florida House District 43, identifies himself as a PACs and nonprofits senior manager at ActBlue. His campaign treasurer, José Gamboa, also works for ActBlue as an account management specialist while simultaneously serving in leadership and financial roles with Central Floridians for Change, a political committee supporting Vilchez Santiago.

Together, Vilchez Santiago’s campaign and the supporting PAC have raised approximately $217,000 — about $155,000 by the campaign and $62,000 by Central Floridians for Change, according to campaign-finance records reviewed by Florida National News.

Central Floridians for Change contributed $50,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee in July. The House Democratic committee subsequently participated in political advertising supporting Vilchez Santiago, according to a mailer distributed to District 43 voters and reviewed by FNN. The mailer’s disclaimer states that it was approved by Vilchez Santiago.

At the same time, Vilchez Santiago’s campaign website displays an extensive endorsement network of political and advocacy organizations, labor unions and current and former elected officials.

Those relationships do not establish wrongdoing by Vilchez Santiago, Gamboa, ActBlue or either political committee.

But against the backdrop of continuing congressional and federal scrutiny involving ActBlue, they raise legitimate questions about transparency, political fundraising and the level of due diligence conducted before influential organizations and public officials recommended Vilchez Santiago to voters.

FNN News Graphic

Why Vetting and Due Diligence Matter to Voters

Political endorsements are intended to influence elections.

When members of Congress, mayors, state legislators, constitutional officers, labor unions and national advocacy organizations publicly recommend a candidate, they put their names and reputations behind that recommendation.

That makes the process preceding an endorsement relevant to voters.

A comprehensive vetting process can examine a candidate’s professional history, financial relationships, campaign-finance records, potential conflicts, public statements and other information relevant to holding public office.

But an endorsement alone does not establish that such a review occurred.

An endorsement tells voters whom an organization or political leader supports. Due diligence tells voters how carefully that recommendation was made.

That distinction takes on greater significance when a candidate’s employer is simultaneously facing federal and congressional investigations.

ActBlue Faces Continuing National Scrutiny

ActBlue has faced extensive congressional scrutiny involving its online political fundraising operations.

Republican-led investigations by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Committee on House Administration and House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform have examined allegations involving fraud prevention, donor verification, potentially prohibited foreign contributions and internal compliance practices.

Congressional investigators have subpoenaed ActBlue records and sought testimony from current and former employees.

Federal scrutiny expanded after President Donald Trump’s April 24, 2025, presidential memorandum directed the attorney general to investigate allegations involving online fundraising platforms and potentially unlawful political contributions.

The existence of congressional or federal investigations does not establish that allegations against ActBlue have been proven.

ActBlue has disputed allegations of wrongdoing and maintained that it complies with federal campaign-finance laws.

Congressional Investigators Have Examined ActBlue Employees

The role and knowledge of ActBlue employees have become part of the congressional investigation.

House investigators have subpoenaed current and former employees for depositions based on their responsibilities and potential knowledge of ActBlue’s internal operations.

In April 2026, three House committees released a second joint interim staff report addressing ActBlue. Congressional investigators reported that five current or former ActBlue employees invoked their Fifth Amendment rights a combined 146 times during depositions.

Invoking the Fifth Amendment is a constitutional right and does not establish guilt.

There is also an important distinction involving the two ActBlue employees connected to the Florida House race.

Florida National News has identified no public evidence that Vilchez Santiago or Gamboa has been charged with wrongdoing, publicly identified as a target or subject of a federal criminal investigation, or publicly named as subjects of the congressional ActBlue investigations.

Their employment at ActBlue does not establish wrongdoing.

But because investigators have focused on what certain ActBlue employees knew and what responsibilities they held, the professional roles of Vilchez Santiago and Gamboa become relevant to understanding the Florida connection to the national story.

ActBlue PACs and Nonprofits Senior Manager Samuel Vilchez Santiago, a former Orange County Democratic Party chair and candidate for Florida House District 43. Photo Credit: Samuel Vilchez Santiago

Vilchez Santiago Says He Helps ‘Thousands’ Through ActBlue

Vilchez Santiago openly promotes his ActBlue employment as part of his professional qualifications.

His campaign website states:

“As a Senior Nonprofit Manager at ActBlue, he helps thousands of nonprofits and grassroots movements across the country build people-powered fundraising programs that shift political influence away from corporations and toward communities.”

The statement portrays a broad professional role involving fundraising programs for organizations across the country.

It does not establish that Vilchez Santiago works in ActBlue’s fraud-prevention, donor-verification, legal or compliance operations.

But because Vilchez Santiago himself emphasizes the scale of his responsibilities, the precise nature of that work is relevant to understanding whether his duties overlap with areas receiving congressional or federal scrutiny.

José Gamboa, an ActBlue account management specialist, serves as Vilchez Santiago’s campaign treasurer. He is also Central Floridians for Change’s chairman and treasurer, while records list him as its registered agent. Photo Credit: Jose Gamboa

Second ActBlue Employee Holds Key Campaign and PAC Roles

The ActBlue connection extends beyond Vilchez Santiago.

José Gamboa, an ActBlue account management specialist, serves as Vilchez Santiago’s campaign treasurer.

Gamboa also holds multiple positions with Central Floridians for Change, the political committee supporting Vilchez Santiago.

Campaign-finance records identify Gamboa as the committee’s chairman and treasurer, while records also list him as its registered agent.

That places two ActBlue employees in significant positions surrounding the same Florida House race:

Vilchez Santiago — ActBlue senior nonprofit manager and Florida House candidate.

Gamboa — ActBlue account management specialist, Vilchez Santiago campaign treasurer and chairman, treasurer and registered agent of Central Floridians for Change.

The overlapping roles are not evidence of misconduct.

They are, however, relevant facts for organizations and elected officials conducting candidate due diligence.

Campaign and Supporting PAC Raised About $217,000

Campaign-finance records reviewed by FNN show:

Vilchez Santiago campaign: approximately $155,000

Central Floridians for Change: approximately $62,000

Combined: approximately $217,000

The campaign and political committee are legally separate entities. The combined figure is used to illustrate the financial scale surrounding the candidate campaign and PAC supporting him.

Gamboa holds key financial positions involving both entities.

PAC Sent $50,000 to Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee

Central Floridians for Change contributed $50,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee in July 2026, according to campaign-finance records reviewed by FNN.

The money was reported through three contributions:

$25,000

$15,000

$10,000

The contributions totaled $50,000.

Compared with the approximately $62,000 raised by Central Floridians for Change, the transfer represents roughly 81% of the PAC’s fundraising.

The contribution does not establish an improper transaction.

It does establish a substantial financial relationship between the Vilchez Santiago-supporting political committee and the Democratic political committee responsible for helping elect candidates to the Florida House.

House Democratic Committee Subsequently Supported Vilchez Santiago

The financial relationship was followed by political activity in House District 43.

A mailer distributed to District 43 voters and reviewed by FNN identifies the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee in its political-advertisement disclaimer and communicates support for Vilchez Santiago and other Democratic candidates.

The disclaimer states that the advertisement was approved by Samuel Vilchez Santiago, Democrat, for state representative.

The documented sequence is significant:

Central Floridians for Change raised approximately $62,000 → transferred $50,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee → the House Democratic committee subsequently participated in political advertising supporting Vilchez Santiago → the mailer states it was approved by Vilchez Santiago.

That sequence does not establish a quid pro quo, illegal coordination or campaign-finance violation.

It does establish a financial and political relationship that is relevant to understanding the network surrounding the District 43 campaign.

FNN Fact-Check Rated Mailer Claim ‘Mostly False’

Florida National News separately fact-checked a specific claim contained in the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee mailer and rated that claim “Mostly False.”

The rating applies only to the specific statement examined by FNN and should not be interpreted as a finding that every statement contained in the mailer was false.

Because the advertisement’s disclaimer states that it was approved by Vilchez Santiago, the accuracy of its claims is relevant to voters evaluating both the advertisement and the candidate.

FNN’s separate fact-check details the evidence supporting the rating.

Photo Credit: Samuel Vilchez Santiago

Extensive Endorsements Put Due Diligence in Focus

Vilchez Santiago’s campaign website displays dozens of endorsements from political and advocacy organizations, labor unions and current and former elected officials.

The campaign lists support from organizations including Equality Florida Action PAC, Latino Victory Fund, SEIU Florida, Orange County Fire Fighters Association, Florida NOW, Giffords PAC, Run for Something, LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Florida Rising, Florida AFL-CIO, Central Florida AFL-CIO, Florida Education Association and United Auto Workers, among others.

Federal political figures listed by the campaign include U.S. Reps. Darren Soto and Maxwell Frost and former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

Florida political figures listed include Democratic legislative leaders, state senators and representatives, along with Central Florida officials including Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer.

The number and prominence of those endorsements demonstrate substantial institutional political support.

They do not, by themselves, reveal the extent of the vetting conducted before those endorsements were issued.

What Did Endorsers Know?

The national ActBlue scrutiny and the Florida campaign-finance relationships create several basic due-diligence questions.

Were endorsers aware that Vilchez Santiago worked as a senior manager for ActBlue?

Did they examine the scope of his responsibilities?

Did they know his campaign treasurer also worked for ActBlue and simultaneously controlled key financial functions for Central Floridians for Change?

Did they review the approximately $217,000 raised by the campaign and supporting PAC?

Were they aware of the $50,000 transfer to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee and the subsequent political advertising supporting Vilchez Santiago?

And were they aware of the congressional and federal scrutiny involving ActBlue before lending their names to his candidacy?

Those questions do not presume that an endorsement was improper.

They address something voters cannot determine simply by looking at a campaign endorsement page:

What due diligence occurred before the endorsement?

Why It Matters to Florida Voters

The national ActBlue controversy may appear removed from a Florida House primary.

In District 43, the connections are direct.

An ActBlue senior manager is seeking election to the Florida Legislature.

Another ActBlue employee manages his campaign finances while simultaneously holding leadership and financial positions with a PAC supporting him.

The campaign and PAC raised approximately $217,000 combined.

The PAC transferred $50,000 to the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee.

That committee subsequently participated in political advertising supporting the ActBlue-employed candidate.

Meanwhile, dozens of organizations and current and former elected officials are asking voters to support Vilchez Santiago.

None of those facts establishes wrongdoing.

But voters are entitled to understand not only who endorsed a candidate, but what those endorsers knew before they made that recommendation.

Vetting matters. Due diligence matters. And when influential political figures and organizations use their credibility to influence voters, the process behind their endorsements matters, too.

Florida House District 43 Democratic Race Plagued by Controversies Ahead of 2026 Primary Election

What Comes Next: FNN Will Seek Answers

Florida National News will continue examining the intersection between ActBlue, its employees, the Vilchez Santiago campaign, Central Floridians for Change and the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee.

As part of a follow-up report, FNN plans to seek responses from ActBlue, Samuel Vilchez Santiago, José Gamboa and the Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee, as well as political organizations and current and former elected officials who endorsed Vilchez Santiago.

FNN will ask ActBlue to clarify the professional responsibilities of Vilchez Santiago and Gamboa, including whether their positions involve nonprofit organizations, PACs, political committees or accounts connected with Florida political activity.

Vilchez Santiago and Gamboa will be asked about their overlapping ActBlue, campaign and political committee roles and whether ActBlue maintains policies governing employees who simultaneously participate in campaigns or political committees.

The Florida House Democratic Campaign Committee will be asked about the $50,000 received from Central Floridians for Change, its subsequent political advertising supporting Vilchez Santiago and the process surrounding the mailer approved by the candidate.

FNN will also ask major endorsers what vetting and due diligence they conducted before recommending Vilchez Santiago to District 43 voters and whether they reviewed his ActBlue employment and the campaign-finance relationships documented in this report.

The responses — including which organizations and officials respond, what they say they reviewed and how they explain their decisions — will be examined in a subsequent Florida National News report.

For voters, that follow-up could help answer the central question raised by the extensive endorsement network:

What did endorsers know, what did they review and how much due diligence occurred before they asked District 43 voters to trust their recommendation?