Orlando lawyer Dan Newlin has yet to be confirmed as President Donald Trump’s Ambassador to Colombia. But he said it’s a financial issue, not political resistance, slowing the process.

The Windermere Republican told Florida Politics shortly after a panel discussion in Washington that it has been a lengthy process cutting financial ties with the Orlando area law firm he has run for nearly a quarter century.

Newlin called the process “highly complex.”

“Once that’s completed, hopefully in 2026, early part of 2026, then I will be cleared to move through government ethics to the next phase. So really, that was my big holdup.”

He spoke at the Rescuing the American Dream summit on a panel moderated by U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, where Newlin discussed Trump’s foreign policy in South America. The former Sheriff’s Deputy suggested controlling the drug trade will be a huge focus for the U.S. in terms of any relationship with Colombia.

He said the number of plant-growing operations fueling the cocaine market has doubled in the last four years, particularly since Colombian President Gustavo Petro came into power in 2022. Meanwhile, drug cartels like the Northern Liberation Army, or ELN, and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, doubled in size to 250,000 active members.

“President Trump and Senator Scott are firm believers in taking it to the drug dealers, but taking it to the drug manufacturers who are bringing it to the U.S. is so important,” he said.

He and other diplomats defended controversial bombings of alleged drug trafficking vessels for that reason at the conference.

But that and several caustic statements by Petro at the United Nations have made the diplomatic situation more dicey each day as Newlin awaits confirmation. And considering the strong ties between Florida and Colombia — Newlin himself has owned a home in the South American nation for 16 years — the interactions could have significant consequences for the Sunshine State.

“Many Colombians live here — great people, amazing people. I think one of the biggest challenges in the economic recovery from what’s happened there for the last four years, it’s been very difficult on the people with, respectfully, the leadership that’s in place now,” Newlin said regarding the Petro era.

“There’s a lot of economic opportunity that needs to be worked through. Hopefully with President Trump’s commitment to South America, to the Western Hemisphere, we can get more contracts and we can get more people, and we can help the people of Colombia rise up from the oppression that they lived under. No one should have to make $300 or $400 a month working at a Starbucks in Colombia when a worker in the United States makes $4,000 a month.”

Can that work happen with Petro in charge? Newlin notes that there will be an election in Colombia in May. All the candidates in the running to succeed Petro have economic growth on their agenda, Newlin said. He has met with all of them, along with U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican. “All the presidential hopefuls really put economic recovery as one of their No. 1 agendas,” Newlin said.

Trump, unlike many U.S. Presidents, has weighed in openly on Latin American elections at points, most recently endorsing Nasry Asfura in a Honduras Presidential Election still being tabulated. Will the administration pick a favorite in Colombia?

Newlin said that’s not for him to say.

“I certainly think that President Trump has a good grip and read on who he believes will be the best candidates,” Newlin said. “That’s pretty much all I have to say about that.”

A trio of Florida-based lobbying firms is teaming up to launch a new advocacy alliance that promises clients one-stop access to political muscle from Miami to the Capitol.

The Advocacy Network (TAN) brings together Tallahassee firm The Advocacy Partners, Orlando- and Tampa-based Central Florida Public Affairs, and Miami shop Gazitua Letelier in a coordinated network focused on local governments, state agencies and the Florida Legislature.

Partners in the new venture include Slater Bayliss, Steve Schale and Stephen Shiver Jr. of The Advocacy Partners, Sharon Smoley of Central Florida Public Affairs, and Luis Andre Gazitua of Gazitua Letelier. The firms say the structure is designed to give clients statewide reach through a single engagement while keeping on-the-ground relationships at the center of their work.

“Florida’s policy landscape is evolving quickly, and effective advocacy now demands both statewide vision and hyperlocal expertise,” said Bayliss. “By joining this network, our firm is able to pair our decades of experience in Tallahassee with the on-the-ground insight of trusted regional partners. Together, we are building a unified, collaborative model that ensures clients receive the strategic depth of a top-tier state firm and the local relationships essential to getting meaningful results.”

TAN services cover state-level advocacy, including the Florida Legislature and state agencies, as well as School Boards, port and aviation authorities, special districts, and city and county governments.

The firms say TAN will focus on a suite of sectors that frequently intersect with state and local government: procurement and contracting strategy, transportation and aviation projects, K-12 and higher education and workforce policy, infrastructure and utilities such as energy, water and broadband, and economic development and appropriations work.

The network will also work in hospitality and concessions, public-sector technology, law enforcement and public safety, and broader government and business consulting.

“Central Florida Public Affairs was founded on the belief that impactful advocacy happens when strong relationships, community understanding, and smart strategy come together. This network reflects that same philosophy on a statewide scale,” said Smoley. “By partnering with leading firms across Florida, we can extend our reach while staying true to the local, hands-on approach that has fueled our growth.”

Gazitua added, “Miami has earned its reputation as a ‘Capital of Capital,’ attracting global investment and serving as the financial and commercial gateway to the Americas. For more than fifteen years, we’ve delivered value for our clients in this competitive, opportunity-rich environment.”

“This network allows us to pair our hyperlocal expertise with a trusted statewide advocate. It’s the best of both worlds: a deep Miami presence supported by a collaborative team we can hold accountable.”

TAN plans to expand services in Tampa in the near future, extending its reach to include most of Florida’s major metros.

On Tuesday, voters will choose between Democratic Delray Beach Commissioner Rob Long and Republican lobbyist Maria Zack for the open seat representing House District 90.

Independent candidate Karen Yeh, a local businesswoman, is also on the ballot, but she’s raised only a modest sum and is widely viewed as a long shot.

The Special Election in HD 90 will decide who finishes late Democratic Rep. Joe Casello’s term.

Long, a civil engineer, is running on his record in local government and environmental work. He has emphasized public safety, infrastructure, redevelopment and water quality as his primary issues, highlighting his past service on the Palm Beach Soil & Water Conservation District and his role on the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency Board.

He’s also significantly outraised his opponents. Through Dec. 4, Long and his political committee reported close to $152,000 raised and roughly $91,000 on hand, drawing support from labor groups, environmental and LGBTQ organizations, police and firefighter unions, trial lawyers and business interests like Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Association of Realtors.

Long’s backers now include every Democratic legislator from Palm Beach County and several members of Congress. At one point, the list also included Republican businessman Bill Reicherter, whom Zack narrowly defeated in the GOP Primary in late September.

Reicherter endorsed Long in early October after telling the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that Zack is a “single-issue conspiracy theorist.” But in a late-breaking press release published last week, Zack’s campaign apparently reversed his position, urging voters to back her instead and criticizing Long’s record on public safety and city priorities.

Zack, a longtime lobbyist and founder of The Strollo Group, has leaned into a hard-right platform centered on eliminating property taxes, “stopping the harm of illegal immigration,” and expanding school choice. She also promises to support law enforcement.

Her campaign materials showcase photos with national Republican figures and endorsements from former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and the anti-abortion group Florida Right to Life.

She also brings heavy baggage. Zack’s nonprofit, Nations in Action, has promoted debunked claims that satellites over Italy helped hack U.S. voting machines in 2020, a QAnon-linked theory known as “ItalyGate.”

Zack has said she “can’t tell” who really won that election, but assumes it was Donald Trump.

Her campaign finance reporting has also drawn scrutiny. Initial filings showed tens of thousands of dollars in spending that wasn’t backed by reported contributions or loans, an apparent violation of state law barring campaigns from operating in the red.

Zack later amended her reports to add nearly $32,000 in self-loans and called the discrepancy a bookkeeping mistake.

Zack has raised about $82,000 directly, more than 40% of which came from her bank account, with the rest from out-of-state donors and high-profile supporters like former Trump spouse Marla Maples.

Yeh, meanwhile, raised $1,900, of which all but $700 went to a qualifying fee.

HD 90 is a Democratic-leaning district in Palm Beach County that spans Boynton Beach, Delray Beach, Golf, Gulf Stream, Briny Breezes and parts of Highland Beach, Manalapan and Ocean Ridge.