Florida's Latest News

Paul Renner close to announcing run for Governor

A former House Speaker is on the verge of jumping into the race for Florida Governor.

On Thursday, Florida Politics asked someone familiar with Paul Renner’s planning about a timeline for a potential launch.

Their response? “Give him a week.”

Renner stoked renewed speculation about a 2026 run with an invite to a “meet and greet” on Sept. 17 at the Santa Maria Mansion. The flyer advises that he “discusses next year’s Florida Governor’s race” at the event while outlining his “vision for Florida’s future.”

Those familiar with the evolution of campaigns don’t need a translation to figure out what those code words mean.

Renner represented Palm Coast for eight years after previously losing a nail-biter Special Election for a seat in Jacksonville. Since he left office, speculation has swirled about his next move. Ahead of his appointment in February to the State University System Board of Governors, he supposedly had preliminary discussions about becoming the next President of the University of Florida.

We contacted Renner Thursday to ask him about the flyer and the imminent announcement. He said that while he was “happy to connect,” he is “slammed today.”

As changes near for Florida's healthcare coverage, one group proposes Medicaid expansion to voters

Elly Kennedy, like a lot of people these days, feels like she's stuck when it comes to healthcare insurance. She and her husband are self-employed. They fall into that category of people who make too much money for Medicaid, and not enough for private insurance to be affordable.

The way Kennedy sees it, they, along with thousands of other Floridians, expanding Medicaid coverage here could alleviate the gap.

"I feel like the best approach is, wouldn't it be nice if we all had some relief, and kind of all had someone not having the government dictate necessarily, who does and who doesn't get insured," said Kennedy, an Orange County resident.

On the day we met, Kennedy was out canvassing--collecting signatures to get Medicaid expansion on the 2026 midterm ballot. Florida Decides Healthcare is the group behind the push for the proposed constitutional amendment that would require the state to expand Medicaid coverage for people between the ages of 18 and 65 who make up to 138% of the federal poverty limit.

Florida State Treasury posts record $2.5B in earnings

Blaise Ingoglia says it’s good times for Florida’s state treasury, as it has generated $2.5 billion in interest earnings, a record.

The Chief Financial Officer of the state announced on Thursday that the record-breaking amount of earnings in the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Treasury has exceeded the amount initially estimated by the state for earnings. The additional funds will help pay for road projects, schools, hospitals and other projects in the Sunshine State.

“As your Chief Financial Officer, I’m proud to announce that our state treasury has generated record-setting earnings on the money entrusted to us. This didn’t happen by chance,” Ingoglia said in a news release.

“Our treasury team is laser-focused on making Floridians’ dollars work harder, stretch further, and deliver more for the people. When government operates with the discipline and the principles of the private sector and free markets, it creates value instead of eroding it. Every dollar we earn is a dollar taxpayers don’t have to pay.”

FAMU board OKs funding request to expand nursing education with HCA Florida Healthcare

Florida A&M University is looking to play its part in expanding nursing education in the state by requesting a $375,000 state grant in partnership with HCA Florida Healthcare. 

The university’s Board of Trustees met virtually for an emergency meeting Aug. 28, where it unanimously approved FAMU’s application for the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund. The funding proposal must be submitted to the Florida Board of Governors by Sept. 1. 

"While the funding is not guaranteed, Board of Trustees approval is the required step for us to even be eligible to submit" the proposal, FAMU's Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Allyson Watson said during the meeting. 

The LINE Fund is a grant program provided by the Florida Legislature that is intended to incentivize collaboration between nursing education programs and healthcare partners, which, in this case, is HCA Florida Healthcare – a network made up of 48 hospitals, including HCA Florida Capital Hospital in Tallahassee.