Florida's Latest News

Lara Trump says she ‘would 100% consider’ filling Rubio’s Florida Senate seat

Lara Trump will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee as she considers a number of potential options with her father-in-law, President-elect Donald Trump, set to return to the White House.

Among those possibilities is replacing Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, whom Trump tapped to be the next secretary of state. If Rubio is confirmed, his replacement — who would be chosen by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — would serve for two years until the next regularly scheduled election in 2026, at which point the seat would be up for election again.

“It is something I would seriously consider,” Lara Trump told The Associated Press in an interview. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it.”

Elected as RNC co-chair in March, Lara Trump was a key player in the Republicans retaking the White House and control of the Senate while maintaining a narrow House majority. What she does next could shape Republican politics, given her elevated political profile and her ties to the incoming president.

Jason Brodeur wants to help citrus growers, protect private property rights

In the 2025 Session, Sen. Jason Brodeur wants to invest in Florida’s citrus industry, prioritize how to spend casino money to help the environment and protect private property rights.

Brodeur, the influential Republican lawmaker from Seminole County who is Senate President Pro Tempore, is looking to make his mark as he continues to lead the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government.

Brodeur is a health care consultant by trade, but he says he understands the agriculture industry. He points to his bachelor’s degree at the University of Florida studying agriculture. Brodeur also owns a small timber farm in Jefferson County of the state’s Big Bend region. “I am an actual farmer, although it’s not my main vocation,” Brodeur said. This Session, Brodeur is returning to chair the same committee he has led since 2022. 

Florida’s famous citrus industry is in a downward decline as growers battle pests, hurricanes and other problems that destroy their crops. Helping the industry remains a priority, Brodeur said in a conversation with Florida Politics. “We already have a Citrus Council, and so what’s important for them is making sure they have the resources to continue to address the needs throughout the year,” Brodeur said.

Ron DeSantis approves $20M for rural infrastructure projects

Some $20 million has been earmarked for 17 small Florida county governments and municipalities as part of the state’s Rural Infrastructure Fund (RIF). Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the awards for infrastructure projects designed to enhance rural economic growth on Friday.

The RIF encourages the planning and financing of rural infrastructure work that supports growth and brings more business to those communities. “Florida is committed to supporting our rural communities and providing the resources they need for economic growth,” DeSantis said in a press release. “These investments will support infrastructure improvement, attract businesses and create long-term economic success.”

The Florida Commerce department received 93 applications for more than $115 million, more than any other year. The state whittled the figure down to the 17 communities selected by DeSantis and some of those communities were adversely affected by hurricanes this year.

“Under Gov. DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to prioritize our rural communities,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. “These strategic, targeted investments are focused on job creators – these funds will immediately create new jobs and ready sites for new business in the heart of Florida for generations to come.”

‘Unprecedented’: FSU launches nation’s first AI in health care master’s nursing program

Florida State University has taken the lead on a national scale with a new nursing degree based on what has been the talk of the town in higher education — artificial intelligence (AI).

The College of Nursing at FSU recently launched the country’s first master’s of science in nursing degree with an AI Applications in Health Care concentration, which combines the emerging technology with health care to expand digital health initiatives into clinical benefits for patients.

“AI is rapidly expanding into every facet of our lives, and health care is no exception,” FSU’s College of Nursing Dean Jing Wang said in a prepared statement. “We are seeing hospitals and clinics begin to implement artificial intelligence, and our master’s program will create a new generation of nursing professionals ready to navigate and leverage these innovative skills and knowledge.”

The first-of-its-kind AI concentration is one of two concentrations in the new graduate program, with the other being nursing education. FSU opened applications in September and closed them in October for the program’s first spring 2025 class, which will have a cohort of 35 students, according to a university spokesperson.