Politics
Democrats call out Anna Paulina Luna as ‘coward’ in new billboard campaign
Days after Democrats invited U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna to a town hall in her district, billboards call out Congresswoman as a no-show.
National Democrats purchased billboards that go up this week in Florida’s 13th Congressional District that criticize the St. Petersburg Republican for failing to meet with constituents. The message “Rep. Luna = Coward” appears in large red type alongside a photo of the second-term Representative.
The phone number for Luna’s Washington office also appears on the sign, along with the words “won’t talk to her constituents” with a red arrow pointing at her face.
“Rep. Anna Paulina Luna refuses to meet with her constituents after voting to take away health care and make it harder for families to put food on the table,” said Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin.
“This isn’t surprising — over the last few months, one word has come to describe Republicans: cowards. If Republicans won’t show up, then Democrats will. We are hosting events in Republican-held districts and we are pasting Republican representatives’ phone numbers on billboards across their district because working families deserve to be heard.”
Democrats have targeted incumbent Republicans in battleground districts ever since POLITICO reported leadership in the House was advising against members hosting town halls amid an “angry backlash” at President Donald Trump.
This weekend, Democrats held a town hall in Clearwater and kept a seat open for Luna while making clear the event was open to constituents from across the political spectrum. Whitney Fox, Luna’s Democratic opponent last year, attended the event, as did Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.
The state party also held events in several other districts represented by Republicans, but the national party investment in billboards is focused on CD 13, a clear sign Democrats intend once again to invest in beating Luna this cycle. House Majority PAC, the super PAC dedicated to expanding the Democratic caucus in the House, already listed CD 13 as a targeted district, the only one in Florida.
The billboards criticizing Luna are paid for by the DNC, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Association of State Democratic Committees, the organization behind the national series of town hall events.
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New causeways in Brevard County can handle heavier cargo earmarked for expanding space program activities and launches.
A new bridge has opened in Brevard County that’s designed to make traffic flow smoother for NASA workers and those of associated support programs.
The NASA Causeway Bridge is the second of two new bridges along the Cape. It was completed some six months ahead of schedule at a cost of $128 million.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said the new span builds on efforts to revitalize space program activity at Kennedy Space Center in recent years with increased missions from SpaceX and more involvement from NASA.
“Cape Canaveral Spaceport broke records with 93 launches and 2.7 million pounds of space cargo last year — and we’re expecting over 150 launches this year,” DeSantis said. “Florida is committed to building the infrastructure the space industry needs to keep growing, and with these new bridges, Florida is more ready than ever to become home to NASA’s new headquarters.”
A high-profile example of space activity capturing world headlines was the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams. The two were stuck in orbit in a spacecraft for nine months after they were originally set to be in space for barely more than a week. The pair of astronauts returned to Earth amid great fanfare after their capsule splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico (also known as the Gulf of America) Tuesday.
The new bridge crossing the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County is taller and wider than the original bridges and is a companion to another new span that was completed earlier. The new bridges stretch 4,025 feet over the river and are fixed spans. That eliminates the drawbridges that previously existed across the river, which dramatically slowed road traffic when the bridges would open for river boat traffic.
The new spans will also help the space program because they can handle increasing volumes of payloads heading for the space programs at Kennedy Space Center.
The funding for the bridges came from combined efforts through the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), NASA and Space Florida, an advocacy organization designed to increase space program business in the state. It also accompanies a widening of Space Commerce Way, which was completed in 2024 and covered 2.7 miles leading to the causeways.
“(FDOT) worked closely with our space industry partners and our local communities to meet their vision for the area and their transportation needs,” said FDOT Secretary Jared W. Perdue. “This NASA Causeway Bridge project along with the Space Commerce Way widening project will support the growing workforce and evolving needs of this community and our state long into the future.”
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Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Republished with permission.
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The Senate Transportation Committee has advanced legislation that could speed up traffic on Florida’s highways.
A transportation package carried by Sen. Nick DiCeglie touches on numerous road planning issues. An amendment approved at the committee Wednesday morning would increase the speed limit on major roads by 5 miles per hour.
The change to the bill “authorizes FDOT to set the maximum allowable highway speed limits and increases speed limits on certain highways,” DiCeglie said at the committee.
The legislation (SB 462) now calls for the maximum speed on limited access highways to jump from 70 mph to 75 mph. For other rural highways outside urban areas, meaning those with populations of 5,000 or more, the speed limit would ramp up from 65 mph to 70 mph, so long as there is a median strip dividing the lanes of traffic.
The language filed by DiCeglie would also allow the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to set maximum speeds for other roads deemed as safe and advisable as high as 65 mph. The agency right now only has discretion to boost the maximum speed on such roads to 60 mph.
Notably, the Legislature in 2014 passed legislation that would have similarly increased speed limits. But then-Gov. Rick Scott vetoed that bill (SB 392).
But the roads, even if the legislation passed, would not be the nation’s fastest highways. Texas allows speed limits as high as 85 mph on some specified highways, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Montana, Nevada and South Dakota have speed limits of 80 mph on rural highways
The bill also covers a range of other matters involving Florida roads, and Senators at the committee discussed how the state will distribute almost $4.2 million each month from the state transportation trust funds to offset the impact of electric vehicles.
Senators spent more time discussing negotiations between road contractors and service providers surrounding the relocation of utilities due to road work. The legislation as written now would increase contractor claim limits from $1 million to $2 million, generating frustration from utility companies.
Sen. Tracie Davis, a Jacksonville Democrat, questioned how much influence road contractors had on the legislation.
“In conversation with some folks, we’re trying to figure out where this bill is actually coming from?” she said. “Is this the Department of Transportation bill? Is this the road business bill? Whose bill are you presenting?”
DiCeglie said he’s talking with all parties. “I’m working with the road builders, working with utilities and telecoms,” he said. “There’s a lot of folks that are interested in this piece of legislation.”
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Every Republican State Attorney in Florida is backing U.S. Sen Ashley Moody’s campaign to remain in the Senate past 2026.
The Plant City Republican’s campaign announced the endorsement of 15 of Florida’s elected prosecutors. That includes State Attorneys Tom Bakkedahl; Bruce Bartlett; Larry Basford; Ed Brodsky; John Durrett; Amira Fox; Bill Gladson; Brian Haas; Brian Kramer; R.J. Larizza; Suzy Lopez; Ginger Bowden Madden; Melissa Nelson; William Scheiner; and Dennis Ward.
“Florida’s State Attorneys are stewards of the rule of law and work each and every day to keep our communities safe,” Moody said. “I am honored to have the endorsement of every single Republican ‘Top Cop’ in Florida and look forward to continuing the work we have done together while I was Attorney General. Together, we will fight for a stronger, safer Florida.”
Moody served more than six years as Florida Attorney General, working closely with prosecutors around the state. She also served as an elected Judge and a federal prosecutor before holding statewide office.
Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Moody to the U.S. Senate earlier this year to fill a seat left vacant after former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio was appointed as President Donald Trump’s Secretary of State. But Moody must stand for election in 2026 to determine who serves the final two years of Rubio’s term.
The prosecutors who worked with Moody say they want her to stay on the job.
“Ashley is a strong and conservative leader,” said Fox, a Fort Myers Republican and State Attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit. “In her previous role as Attorney General for Florida, she fought hard for law and order and was a tremendous partner for State Attorneys and law enforcement. We could not ask for a better person to continue to lead and represent us in the U.S. Senate.”
The endorsements come as Moody prepares for potential challenges on the left and right.
“I trust her to serve with integrity as she makes difficult decisions, not only on behalf of the greatest state in the union, but also the greatest nation in the world,” said Durrett, a Lake City Republican and State Attorney for Florida’s 3rd Judicial Circuit.
Florida has 20 judicial circuits, the vast majority of which elected Republican State Attorneys.
“As Florida’s Attorney General, Ashley Moody fought for and ensured the strength and integrity of all Floridians,” said Brodsky, a Sarasota Republican and State Attorney for Florida’s 12th Judicial Circuit. “As our U.S. Senator, Ashley Moody will make America First and fight for and defend America’s interests and the American people.”
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