President Donald Trump will return to the dais for his first address to Congress since winning a comeback term. And the guest list remains the talk of the town.

Members of Florida’s congressional delegation will fill seats with opinionated citizens and other newsmakers.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, a Tampa Democrat, plans to bring Tampa health care activist Karen Clay to the event. Clay has advocated for stronger coverage since her son Michael was diagnosed with a severe form of spinal muscular atrophy. Castor said she wants to spotlight the victims of potential cuts to federal services like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

“Donald Trump, Congressional Republicans and Elon Musk want to steal health care from children to reward their billionaire donors and friends with massive tax breaks,” Castor said.

“While Trump and Republicans surround themselves with billionaires, my fellow Democrats and I are standing up for people like Karen Clay. Karen has fought tirelessly for years to preserve protections for Americans with preexisting conditions and stop Republican attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act and strip health care away from millions of our neighbors back home in Florida. I’m thankful to have Karen as a strong partner as we gear up for the fight ahead to protect health care for Americans across the country.”

Clay plans to support health care protections put in place by former President Barack Obama.

“Health care is a lifeline, not a luxury. The Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion have helped millions of families get the care they need, yet they remain under constant threat,” she said.

“I’m honored to join Congresswoman Kathy Castor to send a clear message that these programs aren’t just ‘extremely popular,’ they are desperately needed for the close to 72 million Americans that rely on them. We must protect and expand access to health care, not rip it away. Too many lives are at stake.”

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a West Palm Beach Democrat, will bring a union leader from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) as Trump oversees government layoffs.

“My guest for the State of the Union, Cynthia Boston-Thompson — Florida President of AFGE National, representing over 800,000 federal workers — is joining me as we head to Washington with a clear message: mass layoffs won’t lower costs,” Frankel posted.

U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat, will focus on the potential threats of Trump’s deportation policies, and will bring Wilna Destin, a former labor organizer and Haitian temporary protected status (TPS) holder, as his guest. The Trump administration recently tossed an extension of protections for many Haitians in the U.S.

“The recent decision to eliminate TPS for Haitians is yet another cruel attack on immigrants from this administration, treating those seeking refuge with callousness rather than with dignity and respect,” Frost said. “Instead of spewing hateful rhetoric about immigrants, it’s time this administration recognizes immigrants as humans and vital members of our community by creating speedy pathways to citizenship for our most vulnerable and strengthening temporary protections until we do so, and that’s exactly the message we plan on sending to President Trump at this address.

“Our Haitian siblings — here in Central Florida, across the country, and on the island — need our support, empathy, and commitment to their well-being. Wilna has dedicated her life to that fight, not just for herself but for thousands of others whose futures are now also in limbo. Her courage and fierce advocacy make it an honor to have her as my guest.”

Also of note, First Lady Melania Trump will bring a Florida activist as one of her guests to the speech, parental rights advocate January Littlejohn. She was an advocate for Florida’s state law restricting instruction about gender ideology in schools, and was involved in a high-profile spat with Leon County Schools claiming teachers started allowing her to use a different gender identity in school without the parents’ knowledge.

“The school drove a wedge between January’s daughter and her parents, and deceived January about their covert plan to transition her daughter,” reads a release from the White House Communications Office.

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Ashley Moody’s bid to keep her U.S. Senate seat now has support from Maggie’s List.

The federal PAC dedicated to electing conservative women has named Moody among its first list of incumbent Senators it’s backing in the 2026 election cycle.

Carole Jean Jordan, Chair of Maggie’s List Florida, said in a statement that it is “an honor” to give an “enthusiastic endorsement” to Moody, whom Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed to the Senate in January.

“She is a tenacious freedom fighter for all of our citizens and will carry those values forward into her upcoming years in the Senate,” Jordan said.

Moody, in a statement of her own, thanked the group for its continued support.

“From my very first Primary to become Florida’s Attorney General through my start as Florida’s newest Senator, the Maggie’s List members have been unwavering in their enthusiasm and support,” she said. “I’m incredibly honored by their endorsement and will continue to fight for conservative principles in our nation’s capital.”

Moody’s ascension to the U.S. Senate followed her predecessor Marco Rubio’s appointment by President Donald Trump as U.S. Secretary of State.

Moody made her intention to keep the seat official last week by formally filing to run for another two years in the Senate in 2026.

As of Tuesday morning, four candidates have filed to run against her. They include Republicans Josue Larose, Jake Lang and Michaelangelo Hamilton, who made news in 2022 for being too young to run for Congress. (That means he’s too young now to run for Senate.)

Evelyn Jané-Marie McBride, who ran as a no-party write-in candidate for the Tampa City Council in 2023, taking 43 of 5,200 votes, is now challenging Moody as a Democrat.

Maggie’s list endorsed four other sitting U.S. Senators whose seats are up for grabs next year: Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming.

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A massive piece of legislation geared towards improving rural communities in the Sunshine State has passed its first committee hurdle with full support from both lawmakers and constituents.

Tallahassee Republican Sen. Corey Simon’s bill (SB 110) seeks to improve infrastructure and enhance education and health care as part of a comprehensive package of proposals designed to usher in a “modern-day renaissance” to rural communities across Florida.

The measure contains critical investments for 31 of Florida’s 67 counties, including broadband internet upgrades, affordable housing, small-business support, roadway improvements, investments into rural schools, and bolstering of rural hospitals.

During the bill’s passage through the Community Affairs Committee, former Senate President and Naples Republican Sen. Kathleen Passidomo showed her support for the bill, commending Simon for bringing it forward and taking the opportunity to address constituents in the audience directly.

“I want to thank Sen. Simon for all the time and effort you’ve put in this bill. … Looking in the audience here, I see people from all over rural Florida, and I want you all to know this is a very special piece of legislation,” Passidomo said. “But it’s going to be up to you all to implement it and make sure that whatever happens with this really fantastic opportunity, that you develop your community how you want to do it.”

Passidomo noted that it’s up to rural communities to take the lead and grow the economy in these areas.

“This is not up to us. This is not the Legislature telling you what to do, but how you want to develop, and I feel really strongly about that because the heart of our state is the center of our state. So I look forward to hearing how you develop this project over the next 10, 20, 30, 50 years,” Passidomo said.

Davie Democratic Sen. Barbara Sharief also showed her support for the bill and shared her excitement for the internet upgrades.

“I was just extremely thrilled about the technology portion of this. … We talked about extending smart technology in the state of Florida, and particularly to have it come into rural communities. I think it’s going to do so much good at increasing your tax base and doing so much more for your communities. I know it’s rural, but you still have to progress and grow, and I think this bill is a great start.”

The bill passed 6-0 and now moves on to the Fiscal Policy Committee.

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