Florida's Latest News

House primaries include challenges to incumbents

More than a quarter of the 120 Florida House seats have primary elections Aug. 20, with Democrats competing in 14 districts and Republicans squaring off in 21. The Florida Democratic Party this year has a strategy of fielding candidates in all House districts. But because of how districts are drawn — giving dominance to one party or the other — next week’s primaries will largely decide winners in many areas.

Here are snapshots of seven House primaries, including six where incumbents face challengers, from various parts of the state:

DISTRICT 13: One of two Democratic primaries in Jacksonville closed by write-in candidates, Rep. Angie Nixon faces a challenge from former Jacksonville City Council member Brenda Priestly Jackson.

Nixon, who was first elected to the House in 2020, has drawn controversy for some positions on issues such as sponsoring a resolution that would have called for an “immediate de-escalation and cease-fire” in the war between Israel and Hamas. But Nixon has drawn endorsements from groups such as Florida Planned Parenthood PAC.

Florida insurers face nearly $90 million in Hurricane Debby claims

Florida insurers are grappling with nearly $90 million in claims filed in the wake of Hurricane Debby, according to Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) data.

The total estimated insured losses currently stand at $89,499,718, with residential property and homeowners insurance claims making up the bulk of this financial impact. As of August 9, a total of 11,972 insurance claims have been filed across various lines of business.

The data indicates that the majority of these claims remain unresolved, with only 11.1 percent of all claims closed. Among the hardest-hit categories, residential property claims number 7,325, yet only 9.2 percent of these claims have been closed, with 6,579 still open without payment.

Homeowners insurance claims, which constitute a significant portion of the residential property category, have similarly seen just 9.9 percent of 6,111 claims filed closed, with 5,451 claims still awaiting payment. The data shows that even smaller lines of business, such as dwelling and mobile homeowners insurance, with closure rates at 6.7 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively.

Ashley Moody warns returning students about fentanyl vapes, fatal pills

Even one pill (or puff) can kill.

That’s the sobering message from Attorney General Ashley Moody, who is calling attention to poison clouds from vape carts and phony medicines that could be pushed on unsuspecting youth as they go back to school.

“As millions of children prepare to head back to school, I’m urging parents to speak to their kids about the dangers of using drugs,” Moody said in a prepared statement.

“While Florida leads the nation in fentanyl interdiction efforts and reports are showing an overall statewide decrease in overdose deaths, there are concerning nationwide trends involving youth overdosing and dying from substance abuse. Please emphasize the importance of never using illicit substances like counterfeit pills or illicit vapes — they could contain fentanyl, and just one pill can kill.”

1 million more: Growing Florida GOP tops Democratic voters in political milestone

On Sunday, the number of registered Republican voters in Florida officially surpassed Democrats by more than 1 million, a milestone reflecting political shifts in the Sunshine State and the largest margin for the GOP since the late 1980s.

The newest figures – based on up-to-date numbers from county election supervisors – showed 5.33 million active Republican voters, compared to 4.33 million Democrats – a difference of 1,000,024 voters early Sunday. That means Republicans make up nearly 39% of Florida’s voters, compared to about 32% for Democrats.

A significant number of voters in Florida, 3.92 million, or about 29%, are affiliated with no political party or the minor parties.

These are among the factors that drove Republican gains, or held back Democrats, according to interviews with experts and voters: