Florida's Latest News

A GOP primary could help Democrats control the Florida Senate

The Democrats' quest to retake the Florida Senate could take an unexpected detour through a Republican intraparty feud that's playing out in a heated primary race.

House Republican incumbents Ray Rodrigues and Heather Fitzenhagen are both running in Senate District 27, a ruby-red seat being vacated by term-limited Republican Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto. Democrat Rachel Brown is running in the general election, but the southwest Senate seat leans heavily Republican.

But Democrats could win, even if Brown loses. That's because Fitzenhagen hasn't promised to support a Republican for Senate leader if she's elected.

Socializing by younger Floridians is fueling increase in coronavirus cases, DeSantis says

The scope of the coronavirus outbreak in Florida is not as bad as the case numbers might have you believe, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Sunday.

Seated at a table with medical professionals during a Pensacola news conference, Florida’s top elected official again cited numbers that showed Floridians aged 18-44 are primarily responsible for the state’s recent spike in cases.

That group is going out more and socializing at a greater rate, DeSantis said Sunday. That’s why, he said, the state is seeing more cases.

COVID costs Florida a 31% dip in sales tax revenue in May

Florida’s sales tax revenue fell 31.7% below projections in May, state economists announced Friday as Gov. Ron DeSantis prepares to make deep cuts to the state budget for the next fiscal year.

Collections were $695.4 million below their estimates, made in January, before COVID-19 sent the state’s tourism-driven economy into a tailspin. All sectors of the economy besides building-related industries were hurt, state economists wrote.

Because sales taxes are collected the month after the sales take place, the revenue reflects the state’s economy in April, when DeSantis imposed a statewide stay-at-home order. Sales taxes are the biggest source of dollars for the state’s general revenue fund, which goes to schools, state agencies and other programs.

Florida bans serving alcohol at bars as daily coronavirus cases shatter record

Florida banned serving alcohol at bars Friday, effectively shutting them down on the same day that the state reported a record-shattering number of new coronavirus cases.

The move comes just three weeks after bars were allowed to reopen and amid mounting cases of the highly contagious disease in the state.

“Effective immediately, the Department of Business and Professional Regulation is suspending on premises consumption of alcohol at bars statewide,‘' according to a tweet from Halsey Beshears, secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation.