Category: Florida
From Republican to Democrat: David Jolly’s Bold Vision
Former Republican congressman David Jolly is making waves in Florida politics with his campaign for the Democratic nomination for governor. His recent appearance on “(We…
Daily Outtakes: See UWF interim president’s proposed contract
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz will get a $319K pay increase if the University of West Florida Board of Trustees approves tomorrow the contract that…
Oops, Hope Florida Foundation to amend tax return
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Hope Florida Foundation will amend its tax return to show the Governor’s Cup golf tournament made money. In April, after…
Daily Outtakes: Andrade won’t back down on budget
State Rep. Alex Andrade isn’t backing off his position on Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Hope Florida budget demands. As chair of the House Health Care Budget…
Top Reads: Week ended June 7, 2025
The stories that attracted the most readers were the ones that the Pensacola News Journal either barely reported or ignored completely: County Clerk Pam Childers’…
Jolly announces run for governor
Today. Former Republican Congressman David Jolly announced his campaign for Florida governor, becoming the first prominent Democrat to enter the 2026 race. The 52-year-old former…
Andrade offers little hope for Hope Florida navigators
Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola), who heads House healthcare budget negotiations, is proposing to cut $2.5 million from the Hope Florida program—eliminating 20 Hope navigator positions…
Andrade ultimatum: No Reports, No Salary [podcast]
Florida’s budget negotiations are heating up in Tallahassee, and State Rep. Alex Andrade isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to government waste. In a…
Breaking: DeSantis names Stasi Education Commissioner
As I reported on May 19, Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Anastasios “Stasi” Kamoutsas the new Florida Commissioner of Education. Official Announcement TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor…
Breaking: Pensacola mayor endorses Byron Donalds for governor
At his weekly press conference, Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves officially endorsed Congressman Byron Donalds for governor, adding another high-profile endorsement to Donalds’ campaign that already…
Backroom Briefing: Stadium Money Benched
Weekly political notes from The News Service of Florida By Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida TALLAHASSEE — It’s been nearly 20 years since…
Daily Outtakes: Budget, Abandoned Dogs and Flip-flopping
Florida’s budget negotiations have reached an impasse. During our podcast conversation yesterday, State Rep. Andrade, who chairs the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, revealed a…
Salzman thanks DeSantis for ‘exceptional appointment’ of Diaz
No The Pensacola News Journal has posted a guest viewpoint from State Rep. Michelle Salzman, titled “Manny Diaz will lead UWF into a new era…
Florida Braces for Busy Hurricane Season
Florida is preparing for another active Atlantic hurricane season starting Sunday, with forecasters predicting 13-19 named storms and up to 10 hurricanes. Gov. Ron DeSantis…
Don’t Color on the Dog: Jackass Edition
The controversial $10 million Medicaid settlement check that flowed through the Hope Florida Foundation to the political action committee Keep Florida Clean has emerged as…
The state should have audited the $10 million Hope Florida deal. It didn’t happen.
By Michelle DeMarco, Florida Center for Government Accountability No one was watching the store when $10 million in state Medicaid settlement money was diverted to…
Daily Outtakes: Is Casey DeSantis a Patsy?
Casey DeSantis launched Hope Florida in 2021 as a genuine welfare program to help connect needy Floridians to community-based nonprofits and faith institutions, weaning them…
Hope Florida Scandal Timeline
The weekend is the perfect time to recap the history of news stories. Last week, I covered the dispute between the Escambia Children’s Trust and…
Don Gaetz recaps unprecedented 2025 sesssion
In an unusual move this year, the Florida Legislature has divided its work into two separate sessions. While the policy portion concluded on May 2nd…
Daily Outtakes: Matt Gaetz for governor? Maybe
NBC’s political reporter Matt Dixon thinks former Rep. Matt Gaetz is seriously considering Florida’s 2026 gubernatorial race—and it’s all about political mathematics. Who is Matt…






















