Florida's Latest News

Evan Power at RNC meeting calls for Florida’s election integrity laws to be adopted nationwide

The days of weekslong recounts and razor-thin statewide margins seem to be a thing of the past for the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF). But as the party holds maybe its greatest level of influence ever, state GOP Chair Evan Power said the party’s work is far from done.

At a meeting of the Republican National Committee (RNC) in Atlanta, Power, shortly before leading the Pledge of Allegiance at a luncheon with Vice President JD Vance, discussed the role of the Sunshine State in national politics. Power will cast a vote Friday to make Florida Republican National Committeeman Joe Gruters the new Chair of the RNC, but that one vote represents but a piece of the influence now enjoyed by the Florida GOP.

“We’ve been given a little more influence and given a lot of respect,” Power said. “People see what we’ve done in Florida, and the Florida model works, and they want to replicate that. We have a lot of people who ask for our advice in some of these states that are trying to replicate what we did, and we’re happy to do it.”

At an Atlanta hotel breakfast bar, Power shared a table with RPOF Executive Director Bill Helmich and Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Matt Janes. While Janes faces a different environment in deep-blue Prairie State, he said he has been eager to import Sunshine State policies to Chicago. The party there recently brought in U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, a candidate for Florida Governor, to raise money for the Illinois GOP.

Spike in Florida Condo Supply Is Creating a Buyers’ Market

Five years after the Covid-19 pandemic sent condo prices skyrocketing in Florida, the market is now lagging as new building regulations drive up costs and foreign buyers stay away.

After the tragic 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South complex in Surfside, Fla., which killed 98 people, the Florida legislature mandated inspections for condo buildings 30 years and older. As a result, owners are facing hefty renovation bills, forcing many to put their units up for sale, flooding the market.

Meanwhile, the foreign buyers who long powered that market, primarily from Latin America, are bowing out. In South Florida, the region with the most condos statewide, sales to foreigners fell to the lowest level since at least 2015. With the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, the trend is likely to persist, said Peter Zalewski, an independent condo analyst who writes the Miami Condo Investing Club newsletter.

The result is a market that became saddled this year with 10 months’ worth of supply, the most since 2011. In Q2 2025, the number of available listings statewide (73,225) was nearly 25 percent higher than a year before.

Gov. DeSantis celebrates rural towns as he gives state grants for infrastructure projects

The state is giving $38 million to help 19 rural communities as Gov. Ron DeSantis and other officials push to support small towns.

“We’ve made investing in our rural communities a priority because I think ultimately it’s an important foundation for the state, not just economically but culturally and historically as well,” DeSantis said at a press conference in Arcadia.

Arcadia, Florida City, Lake Butler and several other rural cities are receiving Florida Small Cities Community Development Block Grants to make infrastructure upgrades and other improvements.

The state grant program has awarded more than $138 million to 120 small communities since 2019, DeSantis said.

The next round of grants will send $6.4 million to the city of Arcadia for upgrades at its wastewater treatment plant that serves 8,000 residents.

“The city’s sole wastewater treatment plan is aging and frequently failing. It poses both environmental and health risks,” DeSantis said. 

Haridopolos Endorses Byron Donalds for Governor

With $20 million in the bank, and with the coveted endorsement of President Donald Trump in his back pocket, Rep. Byron Donalds' gubernatorial campaign continue to gain momentum as more members of the U.S. Congress, like Rep. Mike Haridopolos, continue to support his endeavor to replace the term limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Rep. Haridopolos, a former Florida State Senate President, joins Rep. Anna Paulina Luna this month in expressing his support for Rep. Donalds.

“Byron Donalds is the proven conservative leader we need to be Florida’s next Governor. As President Trump’s endorsed candidate, Byron will ensure Florida remains the strongest, safest, and freest state in the nation. Byron is also committed to cementing Florida as the #1 state in America for space. I am proud to endorse Byron Donalds for Governor," said Rep. Haridopolos in a statement to The Floridian.

Haridopolos' remark comes after Donalds' announced his bicameral and bipartisan effort to NASA's headquarters to Cocoa Beach, which is in Haridopolos' congressional district.

“Byron Donalds is an America First and Florida First patriot. As Governor, Byron will work with President Trump to protect our state from illegal immigration, lower the cost of living, and improve the quality of life for our seniors and veterans. I am proud to endorse my friend Byron Donalds for Governor," said Rep. Luna in a statement that The Floridian has obtained.