The Florida Realtors PAC is backing Bill Poteet in the race for House District 82, adding the powerful real estate group’s support to his bid for the Southwest Florida seat.

The political arm of Florida Realtors cited Poteet’s professional background, community involvement and familiarity with regional issues. Poteet is a Realtor, small-business owner and longtime resident of the district.

“As a REALTOR, small-business owner and longtime resident of southwest Florida, the citizens of House District 82 would be hard-pressed to find a more effective representative for their area than Bill Poteet,” said Marilyn Pearson-Adams, Chair of the Florida Realtors PAC Trustees.

“He is incredibly active in his community, serving in leadership positions in numerous local and non-profit organizations, and his knowledge as a REALTOR has given him a deep understanding of the issues facing the region. He would be an outstanding addition to the Florida House of Representatives.”

Florida Realtors PAC routinely weighs in on legislative races across the state, supporting candidates it views as aligned with property rights, economic growth and housing affordability. Endorsements from the group can carry significant weight, particularly in districts where real estate and development play a central role in the local economy.

Republican Rep. Lauren Melo currently represents HD 82, but is seeking a Senate seat in 2026.

Rancher Liesa Priddy and Hugo Vargas are also competing in the Republican Primary. Melo has backed Priddy as her preferred successor.

Priddy is leading the field in fundraising, with around $151,000 raised.

Poteet, meanwhile, has collected more than $33,000 via his campaign account and his political committee, Friends of Bill Poteet. Vargas has raised almost $22,000 through his account and his political committee, Friends of Hugo Vargas.

Democratic candidate Arthur Boyer has also filed for the race.

HD 82 covers a swath of Southwest Florida, including Hendry County and parts of Collier County.

One of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ most reliable backers over the years is enthusing over the Democratic Mayor-elect of Miami, saying her pragmatism will serve the city ahead.

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin said on Bloomberg Open Interest that Eileen Higgins would “deliver on the promises that she made to the voters of Miami,” contrasting her favorably to Zohran Mamdani of New York.

“She has a long history of being pragmatic with respect to policy choices that will improve the lives of the people who live in Miami,” Griffin said during an interview at Conference de Paris.

“She very much wants to accelerate the permitting process for builders, to create more housing stock. She wants to help release lands into the private market to help increase available housing. She wants to address the issue of housing affordability with thoughtful, time-tested and proven policies, rather than the fantasy that’s being espoused by the Mayor-elect for New York City.”

Griffin has given tens of millions of dollars over the years to DeSantis and various initiatives he backed, including spending $12 million to help defeat a recreational pot amendment last year. More recently, Griffin invested $50 million into charter schools with the Governor’s blessing, as he seeks to expand his Success Academy model through the state’s “Schools of Hope.”

But when it comes to a Democrat taking over the mayoralty of his adopted city, Griffin sees a way to do business.

Higgins, a former Miami-Dade Commissioner, said her voters came out in part to respond to “trickle-down hatred, where our immigrant population is not only insulted but also really afraid of the federal government.”

“To me, this anti-immigrant fervor, it’s gone too far. It’s inhumane. It’s cruel. I’m Catholic, so I think it’s a sin. And it’s bad for the economy,” she said on MSNOW earlier this month. “They’re going after everybody, rich and poor, and it’s really changing how people think about who they want to speak up for and stick up for them in local government.”

For his part, DeSantis sat on his hands as Republicans lost the Mayor’s Office, a move perhaps contextualized by Griffin’s position.

“I did an endorsement in the original scrum, and then once it advanced to the runoff, it just wasn’t something I was involved in. So I don’t know what the issues were or any of that,” DeSantis said, professing a surprising ignorance of local concerns in the state’s most important city.