Florida's Latest News

DeSantis says Florida will join Trump administration’s push to ‘fix problems with the census’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that Florida will be joining the Trump administration’s push to “fix” different issues involving the census.

During a news conference in South Florida, DeSantis said Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a written letter to the U.S. Census Bureau—also copied to the White House—requesting an extra seat in Congress, claiming the agency undercounted Florida’s population in the 2020 census, which he said impacted the number of seats allocated to the state.

“We want this fixed now. We think it’s really something that’s important. So, if that relief is given, then that would obviously force us, force the Florida Legislature to have to redraw the maps that we have for U.S. House of Representatives, because we have 28 districts,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis said getting that extra seat would also mean an additional vote in the Electoral College during presidential elections.

“Attorney general told me he’s going to be willing to go up to Washington and talk to people in the Commerce Department to be able to get this right. I know President Trump has spoken about the need to fix the problems with the census,” DeSantis said.

Yvette Drucker switches races, now running for Palm Beach County Clerk

Boca Raton Council member Yvette Drucker wants to continue serving in office closer to home. She’s dropping her Senate bid to instead run for Palm Beach County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller.

“I’ve dedicated my career to public service, building coalitions, managing budgets, and helping working families across Palm Beach County. I am proud of my reputation for common sense approaches to major issues, managing relationships across the political aisle, and working with partners across municipal bodies,” she said in a statement.

“Serving as Clerk would allow me to continue that work on a broader scale by ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly, services are delivered efficiently, and county government remains transparent and accessible.”

Drucker’s announcement comes just days after Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Republican Rep. Mike Caruso to replace Democratic Clerk Joe Abruzzo, who Palm Beach Commissioners tapped in June to serve as County Administrator.

DeSantis awards posthumous Governor’s Medal of Freedom to Jimmy Buffett, Florida lawmakers

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has posthumously awarded five notable Floridians with the Governor’s Medal of Freedom, one of the state’s highest honors.

The awardees include the state’s last Democratic governor, Buddy MacKay, who was a citrus farmer, policy wonk and diplomat, former Democratic governor and U.S. Sen. Bob Graham, who was known for his “workdays” when he took on the jobs of Floridians, from horse stall mucker to FBI agent; former Florida State University President John Thrasher, who also served as Republican speaker of the Florida House and chair of the Republican Party of Florida; former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a longtime South Florida Republican congressman who fought tirelessly for a free Cuba, and Jimmy Buffett, the state’s beloved balladeer of an endless summer of warm tropical waves.

“I’m proud to recognize the legacies of these great Floridians,” DeSantis said in a written statement. “Our state is better for their contributions, and we’re proud they called Florida home.”

The five awardees “exemplified what it means to be a great Floridian” and left a lasting impact on their state, the statement reads.

DeSantis targets Florida congressional districts, seeks changes that could aid Republicans

Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a multi-pronged attack on the state’s congressional districts on Wednesday, offering justifications for a mid-decade redistricting that is all-but-guaranteed to send more Republicans to Congress from Florida.

DeSantis also made clear the part of the state he wants to concentrate on is South Florida — the region that is home to most of the remaining Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation.

The Republican governor’s move comes amid unprecedented and spreading efforts to change congressional districts across the country. First, Texas began work to comply with a demand from President Donald Trump to draw congressional boundaries that would send five more Republicans and five fewer Democrats to Washington.

Then California moved to create five more Democratic and five fewer Republican districts.

Now DeSantis wants in on the action.

The governor repeatedly cited the Broward-Palm Beach County district represented by U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick as the one that he believes is unfairly drawn, and should be changed.