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David Silvers raises $56K in first full quarter running for SD 26, quintupling Rick Roth’s haul

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Former Rep. David Silvers, a Democrat running to represent Senate District 26 in Palm Beach County, added $56,500 to his campaign coffers in his first full quarter as a candidate.

His Republican opponent, former Rep. Rick Roth, collected $11,700 during the same time period — about five times less.

Silvers’ biggest gain, a $40,000 check, came from Citizens for Law Order and Ethics, a political committee chaired by the man who also runs his PC, Rick Asnani.

NextEra Energy, the parent company of Florida Power and Light, gave $5,000. EC-PAC, a PC chaired by West Palm Beach construction executive Allen Gast, donated $1,000. Associated Industries of Florida chipped in $500.

Silvers received five personal checks between July 1 and Sept. 30. The largest was for $5,000 and came from James McManus, the founder of Palm Beach Gardens-based Family First Adolescent Services, a substance abuse treatment company.

Miami financial adviser Forrest Nail gave $2,000. Lawyers Alex Havenick, Joseph Salzverg and Josh Spoont gave $1,000 apiece.

Silvers spent about $24,800 last quarter, leaving about $204,000 between his campaign account and political committee, Friends of David Silvers, by Oct. 1. All but $300 went to Asnani’s firm, Cornerstone Solutions for media consulting and event expenses. The rest covered legal services and donation processing fees.

Roth’s fundraising leaned heavily on personal checks — he received 18 ranging from $50 to $500 — and the agriculture industry.

Roth runs an eponymous farm operation in Belle Glade.

Bradenton-based Strickland Ranch, Clewiston-based Hilliard Farm and Blackbeards Ranch in St. Petersburg each contributed $1,000. Jones Potato Farm in Parrish gave $500. Blue Sky Farm in Hastings chipped in $200.

Roth’s biggest donation in Q3 was a $2,500 check from FAPSC PAC, the political arm of the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges.

He spent $99 last quarter, leaving about $126,000 between his campaign account and political committee, Palm Beach Prosperity Fund.

A third of his spending covered stamps. The rest went to donation processing fees.

The race for SD 26 featured three candidates until August, when Democratic Boca Raton City Council member Yvette Drucker dropped out of the race to run for Palm Beach County Clerk.

SD 26 covers a southern portion of Palm Beach County, spanning the inland municipalities of Belle Glade, Golf, South Bay and Wellington; coastal Briny Breezes, Delray Beach, Highland Beach and Ocean Ridge; and a northern part of Boca Raton.

The district’s current representative, Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, must leave office next year due to term limits.

The 2026 Primary is Aug. 18, followed by the General Election on Nov. 3.

Candidates faced a Friday deadline to report all campaign finance activity through Sept. 30.



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Ashley Moody, Rick Scott diverge on rescheduling pot

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Florida’s U.S. Senators are split on President Donald Trump potentially rescheduling cannabis.

While Rick Scott signed a letter opposing the move with GOP colleagues, Ashley Moody did not.

“Rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III drug will undermine your strong efforts to Make America Great Again and to usher in America’s next economic Golden Age. The only winners from rescheduling will be bad actors such as Communist China, while Americans will be left paying the bill,” the letter claims.

The Senators argue that changing cannabis’ classification would harm America’s attempts to reindustrialize, would have health consequences, and would give a “massive tax break” to companies in the space.

“While supporters of rescheduling argue that extending tax benefits to marijuana businesses will create economic growth, the costs of workplace and vehicular accidents caused by increased marijuana usage far exceeds any perceived benefits—not to mention the moral costs of marijuana advertising that could reach kids.”

Scott has called marijuana a “gateway drug” and says his own brother died after a lifetime struggle with drugs that began with it, so his opposition to relaxed laws continues.

While Attorney General, Moody opposed legalization initiatives in Florida. However, rumors are that the White House is considering rescheduling to Schedule III, which would permit medical research but wouldn’t immediately make it more commercially available.

12.17.2025-Letter-on-Marijuana-Rescheduling-



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Florida military installations to divvy up nearly $1B in federal funding act

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10 military installations in the Sunshine State will get a cut of the funding approved by Congress.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody is touting approval by Congress of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which will bring nearly a billion dollars in funding for several military installations in Florida.

The measure passed along bipartisan lines in the Senate and covers defense funding for the next fiscal year. It authorizes about $900 billion in total for defense spending across the U.S. The House signed off on the measure last week.

The act earmarks about $851 million for Florida installations. It will also fund expanded shipbuilding and prioritize development of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system.

“The passage of this year’s NDAA is a victory for the strengthening of our national security and Florida’s military bases. It is vital for the protection of our great nation that our military has the resources needed to deter evil and stay mission ready. Sadly, just this week we lost two National Guardsmen and an interpreter far too soon at the hands of an apparent ISIS attack in Syria. My heart breaks for their families’ unimaginable loss. It is a stark reminder that we must continue our efforts to secure peace through a robust national defense,” Moody said in a news release Wednesday.

“Florida is proud to be the home of three combatant commands, including SOUTHCOM, CENTCOM and SOCOM, as well as 21 military installations which all play a highly important role in the United States’ military strategy. I will always fight for their interests, because a strong military is essential for a strong nation.”

Ten different military installations in Florida will get a partial cut of the funding including, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Eglin Air Force Base, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Hurlburt Field, MacDill Air Force Base, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island, Naval Air Station Key West, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Naval Air Station Whiting Field and Tyndall Air Force Base.

Florida is home to more than 90,000 active military personnel in the state, and about 1.5 million military veterans reside here.



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New College Foundation announces $1M gift for ‘Socratic Stage’ program

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The New College Foundation has announced a $1 million donation from Dr. Michael C. and Ling Z. Markovitz to establish a new campus program centered on debate, classical learning and public discourse.

The donation, made directly to the New College Foundation, will help the college establish the Markovitz Socratic Stage, a signature forum dedicated to revitalizing civil discourse, classical learning and the free exchange of ideas on campus.

“We believe deeply in the power of ideas — and the courage it takes to explore them openly,” Michael said in a statement. “New College is leading a movement to bring back real dialogue, real debate, and real education. We are honored to support this mission and help build a program where students learn to think for themselves, speak with conviction, and engage with the world in meaningful ways.”

The donation will support a series of debates, lectures and discussion-based events meant to bring together students, faculty, visiting scholars and community members for debates, dialogues, books discussions, lecture series, public forums, intellectual events open to the community, and student-centered opportunities.

The program will be integrated into New College’s Logos/Techne curriculum and is expected to launch as a recurring campus initiative open to the public.

College President Richard Corcoran called the gift a “defining moment” for the institution, saying it aligns with New College’s emphasis on classical education and intellectual freedom.

“Michael and Ling Markovitz have made a profound and visionary commitment to New College,” he said. “Their gift strengthens our mission to revive rigorous classical education and restore the humanities as a force for intellectual freedom. The Markovitz Socratic Stage will impact generations of students by giving them a place to think deeply, debate boldly, and seek truth fearlessly.”



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