WEATHER ALERT
Thune's first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump's tax bill
Read full article: Thune's first big test as Senate leader has arrived with Trump's tax billOnly six months into the job, Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces a massive challenge as he tries to quickly pass President Donald Trump’s sprawling tax and spending cuts package.
Trump hosts NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House
Read full article: Trump hosts NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White HousePresident Donald Trump has honored the 2025 NCAA basketball champion Florida Gators at the White House, proclaiming that “lesser teams would have crumbled” during its nail-biting title game victory.
Board of Florida's only public HBCU picks a lobbyist with ties to DeSantis as its next president
Read full article: Board of Florida's only public HBCU picks a lobbyist with ties to DeSantis as its next presidentThe board of Florida’s only public historically Black university has chosen a lobbyist with ties to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to be the school’s next president, alarming students, faculty and alumni who are outraged by the governor’s efforts to restrict the teaching of African American history and ban public colleges from using taxpayer money on diversity programs.
Republicans in Florida's Capitol restart push to lower the gun-buying age to 18
Read full article: Republicans in Florida's Capitol restart push to lower the gun-buying age to 18Gun rights advocates have been fighting to overturn a Florida law setting the minimum age to buy a gun at 21 since the day the measure was signed, in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida in 2018.
Musk and DOGE try to slash government by cutting out those who answer to voters
Read full article: Musk and DOGE try to slash government by cutting out those who answer to votersConservatives have long talked about cutting government, but Republicans in Congress have shied away from approving deep reductions because of fear of how voters would react.
Speaker Johnson tells GOP lawmakers to skip town halls after an onslaught of protests
Read full article: Speaker Johnson tells GOP lawmakers to skip town halls after an onslaught of protestsHouse Speaker Mike Johnson is encouraging Republican lawmakers to skip town halls that have been rife with protesters.
Trump-endorsed candidates win primary races to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz
Read full article: Trump-endorsed candidates win primary races to replace Matt Gaetz and Mike WaltzPresident Donald Trump-endorsed candidates Jimmy Patronis and Randy Fine won their Republican primaries in the special elections to replace former Florida Reps. Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz, notching wins in reliably conservative districts.
Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump ally
Read full article: Who is Trump's attorney general pick Pam Bondi? The former prosecutor is a close Trump allyIf confirmed to lead the Justice Department, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi would become one of the most closely scrutinized members of Donald Trump’s cabinet.
Congress is looking to ban Chinese drones that are widely used in US. What to know about the debate
Read full article: Congress is looking to ban Chinese drones that are widely used in US. What to know about the debateThe economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market.
Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them
Read full article: Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban themThe economic and technological rivalry between the U.S. and China has come to the drone market, where Chinese-made flying devices are a dominant player in America.
John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate Majority Leader to John Thune
Read full article: John Cornyn loses longtime bid to be next Senate Majority Leader to John ThuneCornyn has for years signaled he wanted to succeed his close ally GOP leader Mitch McConnell. He lost in a vote decided by the Republican members of the Senate.
Trump pressures candidates for Senate GOP leader to fill his Cabinet right away
Read full article: Trump pressures candidates for Senate GOP leader to fill his Cabinet right awayDays before Senate Republicans pick their new leader, President-elect Donald Trump is pressuring the candidates to change Senate rules and give him more power to appoint unconfirmed nominees.
Who is Susie Wiles, Donald Trump's new White House chief of staff?
Read full article: Who is Susie Wiles, Donald Trump's new White House chief of staff?Susie Wiles, President-elect Donald Trump's pick as White House chief of staff, has decades of political experience but has largely shunned the spotlight.
Trump wants the presidential winner to be declared on election night. Why that's unlikely
Read full article: Trump wants the presidential winner to be declared on election night. Why that's unlikelyFormer President Donald Trump is stepping up calls for a winner to be declared shortly after polls close Tuesday night.
Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertain
Read full article: Who will replace Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader? It remains deeply uncertainSenate Republicans vying to replace longtime leader Mitch McConnell have been crossing the country to campaign and fundraise for colleagues, making their final arguments before an important upcoming Senate vote.
Trump's campaign crowdfunded millions online in an untraditional approach to emergency relief
Read full article: Trump's campaign crowdfunded millions online in an untraditional approach to emergency reliefFormer President Donald Trump’s campaign is using GoFundMe to rally its donor network around the survivors of his July assassination attempt and Hurricane Helene’s destruction.
John Thune is striving to be the next Republican Senate leader, but can he rise in Trump's GOP?
Read full article: John Thune is striving to be the next Republican Senate leader, but can he rise in Trump's GOP?Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is competing intensely to become the next Republican leader in the Senate.
Democrats claiming Florida Senate seat is in play haven't put money behind the effort to make it so
Read full article: Democrats claiming Florida Senate seat is in play haven't put money behind the effort to make it soFlorida Democrats have been boldly proclaiming that Florida is in play for this year's November elections, but their campaign spending hasn't matched those claims.
Following protests, DeSantis says plan to develop state parks is 'going back to the drawing board'
Read full article: Following protests, DeSantis says plan to develop state parks is 'going back to the drawing board'Florida Gov_ Ron DeSantis said a controversial proposal by his administration to develop golf courses and pickleball courts at state parks is “going back to the drawing board.”.
Florida Senator to introduce resolution urging 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from office
Read full article: Florida Senator to introduce resolution urging 25th Amendment to remove President Biden from officeA Republican Senator from Florida is looking to have President Joe Biden removed from office.
Trump once defied the NRA to ban bump stocks. He now says he 'did nothing' to restrict guns
Read full article: Trump once defied the NRA to ban bump stocks. He now says he 'did nothing' to restrict gunsDonald Trump’s campaign has found itself defending a Supreme Court decision to strike down a ban that he himself had hailed as an achievement on gun control six years ago.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott says he'll vote against recreational pot after brother's death
Read full article: Florida Sen. Rick Scott says he'll vote against recreational pot after brother's deathSen. Rick Scott of Florida says he'll vote in November against a ballot amendment to legalize recreational marijuana in his state.
Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a close Trump ally, joins race to succeed Mitch McConnell as GOP leader
Read full article: Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a close Trump ally, joins race to succeed Mitch McConnell as GOP leaderFlorida Sen. Rick Scott says he will run for Senate Republican leader when Mitch McConnell steps down from the post, becoming the third Republican in the race.
Trump is limited in what he can say about his court case. His GOP allies are showing up to help
Read full article: Trump is limited in what he can say about his court case. His GOP allies are showing up to helpFormer President Donald Trump is limited in what he can publicly say as his hush money trial is underway in New York.
Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpens
Read full article: Senate races are roiled by campus protests over the war in Gaza as campaign rhetoric sharpensThe student protest movement over the war in Gaza is roiling Senate contests in an election year when control of the chamber is at stake in November.
Republican Sen. Rick Scott softens his abortion position after Florida Supreme Court ruling
Read full article: Republican Sen. Rick Scott softens his abortion position after Florida Supreme Court rulingSen. Rick Scott of Florida is joining other Republican incumbents scrambling to strike a balance in their abortion rights messaging.
Wyoming Sen. Barrasso will run for No. 2 spot in GOP leadership, narrowing race to replace McConnell
Read full article: Wyoming Sen. Barrasso will run for No. 2 spot in GOP leadership, narrowing race to replace McConnellWyoming Sen. John Barrasso says he'll run for the No. 2 spot in the Senate Republican conference after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell leaves at the end of the year.
Senators urge Biden to end duty-free treatment for packages valued at less than $800
Read full article: Senators urge Biden to end duty-free treatment for packages valued at less than $800Two U.S. senators looking to crack down on the number of packages from China that enter the country duty-free are calling on President Joe Biden to take executive action.
As some call for his ouster, McConnell pushes back on GOP critics: 'They've had their shot'
Read full article: As some call for his ouster, McConnell pushes back on GOP critics: 'They've had their shot'After months of negotiations and delays, the Senate has voted to move forward on legislation that would provide wartime aid to Ukraine and Israel.
Melania Trump remembers her mother as 'a ray of light in the darkest days'
Read full article: Melania Trump remembers her mother as 'a ray of light in the darkest days'Former First Lady Melania Trump remembered her mother as “a ray of light in the darkest of days” during a funeral service at a church not far from the family’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
Democrats target GOP strongholds Texas and Florida with Senate majority on the line
Read full article: Democrats target GOP strongholds Texas and Florida with Senate majority on the lineDemocrats hoping to hold their slim Senate majority after November are looking for wins in two unlikely places that could neutralize potential setbacks elsewhere, Florida and Texas.
Florida Republicans oust state party chairman facing rape allegations in critical election year
Read full article: Florida Republicans oust state party chairman facing rape allegations in critical election yearThe Republican Party of Florida has ousted Chairman Christian Ziegler and has replaced him with a new leader as police investigate a rape accusation against him.
Judges overseeing Trump cases in New York and DC are latest targets as bogus 'swatting' calls surge
Read full article: Judges overseeing Trump cases in New York and DC are latest targets as bogus 'swatting' calls surgeBomb threats and false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials, state capitols and courthouses have surged in recent weeks, including some connected to court cases against former president Donald Trump.
Years after Parkland massacre, tour freshens violence for group of House lawmakers
Read full article: Years after Parkland massacre, tour freshens violence for group of House lawmakersA second group of U.S. House lawmakers toured the building where Parkland high school students were massacred in 2018.
Donald Trump's strength is clear in Florida as Gov. Ron DeSantis tries to move past 'nonsense'
Read full article: Donald Trump's strength is clear in Florida as Gov. Ron DeSantis tries to move past 'nonsense'Former President Donald Trump is showing his strength in Florida while his 2024 rival, Gov. Ron DeSantis, looks to prove his viability.
Sen. McConnell plans to serve his full term as Republican leader despite questions about his health
Read full article: Sen. McConnell plans to serve his full term as Republican leader despite questions about his healthSenate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is “fine” since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday.
Inflation drops to 3% and Biden hopes to turn a weakness with voters into a strength
Read full article: Inflation drops to 3% and Biden hopes to turn a weakness with voters into a strengthThe politics of inflation took a sharp turn with a new report showing consumer prices rose at the slowest pace since the early months of Joe Biden’s presidency.
Senators back solar tariffs, oppose prairie bird safeguards
Read full article: Senators back solar tariffs, oppose prairie bird safeguardsThe Senate has approved a measure that would reinstate tariffs on solar panel imports from several Southeast Asian countries after President Joe Biden paused them in a bid to boost solar installations in the U.S. Lawmakers also approved a separate plan late Wednesday to undo federal protections for the lesser prairie chicken, a rare grouse that’s found in parts of the Midwest and Southwest, including one of the country’s most prolific oil and gas fields.
Texas bill proposes up to $25K for armed school 'sentinels'
Read full article: Texas bill proposes up to $25K for armed school 'sentinels'Texas schools could offer up to $25,000 stipends to teachers and staff who accept the dual role of being armed campus “sentinels” with specialized mental health training under a proposal that state lawmakers advanced Tuesday in response to the Uvalde classroom shooting.
Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger people
Read full article: Haley wants entitlement program changes for younger peopleRepublican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is proposing changes to entitlement programs for younger generations, opening the door to potential cuts to Social Security and Medicare if elected.
Djokovic withdraws after failed bid to play Indian Wells
Read full article: Djokovic withdraws after failed bid to play Indian WellsTop-ranked Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the upcoming BNP Paribas Open after losing his bid to enter the United States unvaccinated to play in the Southern California event.
Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOP
Read full article: Sen. Rick Scott alters policy plan causing heartburn for GOPRepublican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida has amended a plan to overhaul how the federal government works after Democrats repeatedly seized on it to accuse Republicans of looking to cut Medicare and Social Security.
Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cuts
Read full article: Biden warns of GOP plans for Medicare, Social Security cutsWhen President Joe Biden suggested that Republicans want to slash Medicare and Social Security it brought howls of protests from the GOP side of the aisle during the State of the Union address.
GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infighting
Read full article: GOP's lackluster fundraising spurs post-election infightingRepublicans are engaged in a round of finger-pointing as both parties sift through the results of Democrats’ stronger-than-expected showing in the midterm elections.
Trump 2024 rivals court his donors at big Las Vegas meeting
Read full article: Trump 2024 rivals court his donors at big Las Vegas meetingRepublican presidential prospects are courting anxious donors and activists in Las Vegas , as the GOP's early 2024 class warns that former President Donald Trump is “a loser” and the party needs to turn elsewhere.
DeSantis eases voting rules in counties devastated by Ian
Read full article: DeSantis eases voting rules in counties devastated by IanFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued an executive order expanding voting access for the midterm elections in three counties where Hurricane Ian destroyed polling places and displaced thousands of people.
By boat and jet ski, volunteers assist in Ian rescue efforts
Read full article: By boat and jet ski, volunteers assist in Ian rescue effortsAs authorities in Florida try to reach people who have been trapped by floodwaters or isolated on barrier islands since Hurricane Ian came ashore last week, concerned members of the public have been springing into action to aid the official rescue efforts.
Uvalde shooting, border dominate only Texas governor debate
Read full article: Uvalde shooting, border dominate only Texas governor debateRepublican Gov. Greg Abbott said in his first debate against Democratic challenger Beto O’Rourke that Texas would send busloads of migrants who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border to more cities.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan rules out raising the minimum age to buy a firearm
Read full article: Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan rules out raising the minimum age to buy a firearmAt the 2022 Texas Tribune Festival, the Texas House speaker also signaled willingness to consider exceptions to the state’s abortion ban.
Prosecutors drop some charges in Florida nursing home deaths
Read full article: Prosecutors drop some charges in Florida nursing home deathsProsecutors have dropped manslaughter charges against three nurses who were present when 12 Florida nursing home patients suffered fatal overheating five years ago after Hurricane Irma.
Abbott says raising the age to buy an assault-style rifle is ‘unconstitutional’ based on recent court rulings
Read full article: Abbott says raising the age to buy an assault-style rifle is ‘unconstitutional’ based on recent court rulingsThe gunman in Uvalde bought two AR-15-style rifles days after he turned 18, the legal purchasing age in Texas, and used the weapons to kill 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary.
Scott: Texas GOP platform not 'inclusive' on homosexuality
Read full article: Scott: Texas GOP platform not 'inclusive' on homosexualityRepublican Sen_ Rick Scott of Florida is criticizing the Texas GOP's new party platform for not being “inclusive” when it described homosexuality as “an abnormal lifestyle choice.”.
March for Our Lives returns with a renewed gun control push
Read full article: March for Our Lives returns with a renewed gun control pushAngered by the unrelenting toll from gun violence, tens of thousands of people are expected at rallies this weekend in the nation’s capital and around the United States demanding that Congress pass meaningful changes to gun laws.
Biden pushes 'ultra-MAGA' label on GOP as he defends record
Read full article: Biden pushes 'ultra-MAGA' label on GOP as he defends recordPresident Joe Biden is warning voters unhappy with soaring inflation and his stalled domestic agenda against turning power over to “ultra-MAGA” Republicans in the midterm elections.
Ohio GOP Senate hopeful: Middle class doesn't pay fair share
Read full article: Ohio GOP Senate hopeful: Middle class doesn't pay fair shareMike Gibbons, a leading Republican Senate candidate from Ohio, said at a media event last fall that middle-class Americans don’t pay “any kind of a fair share” of income taxes.
'Stand your ground' laws proliferate after Trayvon spotlight
Read full article: 'Stand your ground' laws proliferate after Trayvon spotlightTen years ago when Trayvon Martin was fatally shot, Florida was one of the few states with “stand your ground” laws that eased use of deadly force in the face of danger.
GOP steps up bid to persuade Hogan to run for Senate in Md.
Read full article: GOP steps up bid to persuade Hogan to run for Senate in Md.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other leading Republicans are intensifying a personal late-stage push to persuade Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to run for the Senate.
Biden's highway safety pick vows to reduce US traffic deaths
Read full article: Biden's highway safety pick vows to reduce US traffic deathsPresident Joe Biden’s pick to run the nation’s highway safety agency is pledging to attack a crisis of fatal car crashes by implementing safety rules to deter impaired driving.
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Judge: Florida can't enforce ban on school mask mandates
Read full article: Judge: Florida can't enforce ban on school mask mandatesA Florida judge has ruled the state cannot enforce its ban on mask mandates in public schools to guard against the coronavirus while an appeals court sorts out whether the ban is ultimately legal.
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GOP chair expects former Nevada AG Laxalt to run for Senate
Read full article: GOP chair expects former Nevada AG Laxalt to run for SenateThe head of the Senate Republican political arm says he expects former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt to challenge Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada next year.
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How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical pot
Read full article: How the Gaetz probe grew from sex trafficking to medical potBefore Matt Gaetz rose to national prominence as an ardent backer of Donald Trump, the now-Florida congressman carved out an unusual reputation as a Republican state lawmaker who wanted to liberalize marijuana laws.
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Mike Pence, potential 2024 presidential candidates coming to Texas for GOP fundraising blitz, donor appreciation event
Read full article: Mike Pence, potential 2024 presidential candidates coming to Texas for GOP fundraising blitz, donor appreciation event:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/OOWAJ4KZXZEDXNU32UMLIFQWFY.jpg)
Trump: The key to Republican success is more Trumpism
Read full article: Trump: The key to Republican success is more TrumpismFormer President Donald Trump is staking his claim to the Republican Party in a closed-door speech to donors Saturday night, casting his populist policies and attack-dog politics as the key to future Republican success.
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States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington
Read full article: States pass their own virus aid, not waiting on Washington– Not waiting for more federal help, states have been approving their own coronavirus aid packages, spending hundreds of millions of dollars to help residents and business owners devastated by the the pandemic's economic fallout. North Carolina's governor wants additional state aid for such things as bonus pay for teachers and boosting rural internet speeds. The spending also provides fuel for critics who say states don’t need another massive infusion of cash from Congress. “The cascading effect, it’s actually a problem that most states are grappling with ... waiting for the relief money out of the feds,” she said. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, unveiled a $695 million emergency budget proposal that would use state money to address needs related to the coronavirus.