Florida's Latest News

Ed Hooper named Senate Appropriations Chair, and that’s great news for Pinellas, Pasco

Sen. Ed Hooper, as expected, has officially been named Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations for the 2024-26 term. As Appropriations Chair, Hooper will lead the Senate’s work developing the state budget, which means Hooper will have a key leadership role in crafting where state money is spent, and where it isn’t.

With his district including much of north Pinellas County and parts of Pasco County, his role will likely be a boon to the area, as local projects take on added importance.

“Senator Hooper preceded most of our current Senators with his election to the House in 2006. He has been a mentor to so many of us over the years. I trust his instincts,” Senate President-designate Ben Albritton said in a memo announcing his leadership team.

“Each year we have a constitutional duty to pass a balanced budget. Sound management and careful oversight of the year-round appropriations process are critical to meeting our obligation to craft our budget within our 60-day session.”

Daniel Perez names leadership team in House

House Speaker-designate Daniel Perez has announced his leadership team for the coming legislative term.

The Miami Republican said Rep. Wyman Duggan will be Speaker Pro Tempore and will chair the powerful House Ways & Means Committee.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be entrusted with these roles,” said Duggan, a Jacksonville Republican. “Public money doesn’t belong to the government; it belongs to the taxpayers. I look forward to using the Ways & Means Committee to ensure our tax system at the state and local levels works for the people of Florida. As Speaker pro tempore my goal is to ensure that our Chamber always conducts itself with the integrity that the people of Florida expect and deserve.”

Duggan just won re-election to a fourth and final House term before term limits prohibit another consecutive run. The Speaker Pro Tempore fills in as the House presiding officer in the absence of the Speaker. The Ways & Means Committee oversees tax-related bills and creates the annual tax package.

Donald Trump picks Susie Wiles to be chief of staff

President-elect Donald Trump has tapped senior campaign adviser Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff, selecting one of his most trusted political confidants for the job.

Wiles, who amassed outsized influence as one of Trump’s two 2024 campaign managers, will be the first woman to ever hold the title of White House chief of staff. Many have credited the professionalization of the most recent Trump campaign to Wiles’ leadership.

“Susie Wiles just helped me achieve one of the greatest political victories in American history, and was an integral part of both my 2016 and 2020 successful campaigns,” Trump said in a statement. “Susie is tough, smart, innovative, and is universally admired and respected.

Susie will continue to work tirelessly to Make America Great Again.” Trump called it a “well-deserved honor” to have Wiles as the nation’s first female chief of staff to the president. The position does not require Senate confirmation.

Trump could be looking very close to home to fill his next administration

President-elect Donald Trump is hiring. And Florida looks like a veritable staffing agency for a second Trump administration.

Florida has become increasingly central to Trump’s political universe. It is now his adopted home state — which has only gotten redder since he officially moved in — and top Florida operatives led Trump’s campaign. Now plenty of insiders are expecting his forthcoming administration to draft talent from his new home turf.

“Florida is hot right now, for obvious reasons,” said Max Goodman, a Republican consultant in the southwest part of the state. “Florida has quite a bit of talent in terms of what this administration is looking for.”

The Trump administration will need to fill around 4,000 openings with political appointees. Trump on Thursday announced his highest-profile pick for chief of staff with campaign co-chair Susie Wiles. She has deep Florida ties and previously led successful gubernatorial campaigns for Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis.