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Byron Donalds adds endorsement from Miami Young Republicans

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An organization of young conservatives from Florida’s most famous city is getting behind U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds’ bid for Governor.

Miami Young Republicans, self-described as comprising the city’s “next-gen business and political leaders,” is endorsing Donalds to succeed Ron DeSantis as the state’s next top elected executive.

The group cited Donalds’ support of school choice and parental empowerment, his anti-abortion views and his environmental stewardship as key to clinching its support.

“Since starting his political career as a Young Republican, Congressman Donalds has exemplified a strong work ethic and conservative values that reflect the best in our club,” Miami Young Republicans President Tony Figueroa said in a statement.

“During his time in Congress, he has stood firm representing his district and the good that Florida stands for, serving as a true patriot in our nation’s capital. We look forward to working alongside his campaign and delivering victory in his gubernatorial race.”

Miami Young Republicans comprises more than 30 members in elected office, over 300 “emerging leaders, political staffers and young professionals,” and some 50,000 members of a “highly engaged online community,” according to the organization’s website.

Donalds’ relationship with the group solidified when it welcomed Donalds to keynote an event the group hosted Aug. 3, 2023. Other GOP notables that attended and spoke at the event included consultant Roger Stone and former Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera, whom President Donald Trump tapped in December to serve as U.S. Ambassador to Panama.

The group’s endorsement of Donalds comes ahead of the potential gubernatorial campaign launches of several other GOP notables, including First Lady Casey DeSantis, Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz and former Pensacola Mayor Ashton Hayward.

It also comes more than a week before Donalds’ hometown kickoff rally in Bonita Springs.

Others backing Donalds include Trump; Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino; state Sens. Randy Fine and Joe Gruters; state Reps. Yvette Benarroch, Berny Jacques and Toby Overdorf; Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer; former state Rep. Spencer Roach; former Florida GOP Chair Christian Ziegler; Donald Trump Jr.; Fox News’ Lara Trump; Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk; conservative commentator Benny Johnson; Club for Growth PAC; the Black Conservative Federation; and Club 47 USA.

Donalds’ campaign has been working to cement his position as the Republican Primary front-runner before any real competition enters the race against him. To that end, the campaign released internal polling last week showing how, when informed of the President’s endorsement of him, likely Primary voters prefer Donalds over Casey DeSantis in a theoretical head-to-head clash by a nearly 2-to-1 ratio.

Democrats rumored or confirmed to be mulling a run include Senate Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo, Miami Gardens state Sen. Shevrin Jones, Jacksonville state Rep. Angie Nixon, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham.

The 2026 Primary Election is on Aug. 18. The General Election is on Nov. 3.


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Rick Scott likes Byron Donalds over Casey DeSantis for Governor

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‘I’m going to do everything I can to be helpful to him. I think he’ll be a phenomenal Governor.’

The most recent former Governor is ready for change in the Governor’s Mansion.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott says he prefers U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds over First Lady Casey DeSantis in the 2026 Governor’s race.

Scott is closely aligned with President Donald Trump and has had a distant relationship with current Gov. Ron DeSantis. New comments from Scott are the latest indication that the First Lady may be the underdog if she runs in the Republican Primary next August.

“Byron’s a friend. He’s my Congressman,” Scott told radio host Brian Kilmeade Monday when asked if he would endorse Donalds. “I’m going to do everything I can to be helpful to him. I think he’ll be a phenomenal Governor. I think he’s going to win. I’m glad that Trump endorsed him.”

Asked about Casey DeSantis entering the race, Scott reiterated that “Byron Donalds is going to win.”

Scott said Donalds has a “track record,” that he “works his butt off,” and that he “believes in the right things.”

Scott offered yet another reminder of who Trump backs, meanwhile, describing the President’s endorsement as “golden in this state.”

The dynamic between Scott and the current Governor has been rough since DeSantis’ inauguration. The two have squabbled about issues ranging from the state’s unemployment website to the need to return unspent COVID stimulus money to the federal government, and they have not visibly cooperated on much of anything in the last six-plus years.

Gov. DeSantis has yet to respond to Scott backing Donalds, but when the Senator endorsed Trump over him in the 2024 Republican Primary, DeSantis accused Scott of trying to “short-circuit” voters.


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Florida unemployment rate in January shows first increase in months

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Florida’s jobless rate increased for the first time in about a half year to start 2025.

FloridaCommerce released the January figures showing that the unemployment rate came in at 3.5%. That’s the first increase in about a half year.

The rate held steady at 3.4% for the back half of 2024. Prior to that, the rate remained at 3.3% for most of early last year.

There were 390,000 people out of work in January in Florida out of a total labor force of 11,188,000 people in the state. That total labor force figure is the highest number Florida has ever seen.

“Florida continues to prove that leadership and conservative fiscal policies drive success,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis. “We will keep the momentum going by insisting on reducing government spending, continuing to eliminate bureaucracy, and finding more tax reductions for Floridians.”

While Florida’s jobless rate increased in January, it still remains lower than the national rate, which is 4%. The Sunshine State has maintained a lower jobless figure than the national number for 51 straight months.

Miami-Dade County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state for January at 2.4%, slightly down from December’s 2.5%. But compared to a year ago, January’s unemployment rate saw a 0.5-percentage-point increase from last year.

Sumter County had the highest unemployment rate in the state in January at 6.9%.

Among major metropolitan areas in Florida, Fort Myers and Pensacola shared the dubious distinction of having 4% unemployment rates in January, the highest among large metro areas. Both were increases month-to-month and compared to January 2024.

Jacksonville and Tampa each had a 3.8% unemployment rate in January. Both were increases from a year ago, and each had an increase from the December unemployment rate.

Palm Beach County registered a 3.7% jobless figure in January. That figure was also up for the month and the year-over-year comparison.

The Orlando area also had an increase in the jobless figure, coming in at 3.6%. As was the same with other major metro areas, that figure was an increase for the month and the year.


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Blaise Ingoglia proposals giving voters new term-limit powers clear first Senate hurdle

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Two proposals from Sen. Blaise Ingoglia that could cap the tenures of long-standing legislators in Tallahassee and throughout the state have cleared the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee.

First, the committee approved SJR 536, which proposes a constitutional amendment on the 2026 General Election ballot.

It would potentially block legislators who served two full terms in the Senate and four years in the House (16 years total) from returning for more time in the legislative branch.

An amendment from the temporarily absent Sen. Erin Grall that was presented by Jenn Bradley would have relaxed the cap to 24 years total. But it was deemed unfriendly by the sponsor and failed by a 3-3 vote.

Bradley is concerned by the “lifetime ban” that could result from Ingoglia’s measure, though she acknowledged the “ping pong” of legislators between one office and the other.

“If you serve and years later you want to come back and serve your community, I think that’s the most American thing you can do,” the Clay County Republican said.

Ingoglia is open to a “time certain” element to the language that could open up potential returns after a certain point for legislators, and that theoretically is something that could be seen at a future committee stop.

Monday’s committee also approved SJR 802, which seeks a separate amendment setting eight-year term limits for County Commissions and School Boards, though terms of office that started before the 2022 General Election would be off the clock under this proposal.

Bradley proposed a change to this bill as well, starting the clock with the 2026 election and extending the term limit to 12 years. That amendment, also filed by an absent Grall, failed as well.

Stakeholders from around the state slammed Ingoglia’s measure in comment ahead of debate and the vote.

Jeff Scala of the Florida Association of Counties protested the proposal’s “one-size-fits-all approach,” saying the amendment would block the popular will in individual counties.

Wakulla County Commissioner Ralph Thomas said the “distant, uniform mandate … flies in the face of principles upon which our country and state were founded” and that the bill is an “affront to the spirit of liberty.”

Debate transcended party lines.

Vice Chair Mack Bernard, a Democrat, said he supported the bill but worried it would hurt the interest of small counties and saw “work that could be done.”

Grall, who arrived too late to get her amendments onto the bills, spoke of the need for “institutional knowledge” and said she was a “no” on the bill because the “number is wrong.”

“Eight’s the wrong number,” Grall said.

Ingoglia said polling showed voters wanted eight-year term limits.

“All we’re saying is put it on the ballot,” the Spring Hill Republican said.

Both Senate measures have two committee stops ahead. The House companions for each have not been heard, but both have only been referred to two committees total.


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