Free Republic

Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis absolutely laced into President Joe Biden in a recent interview, even using the nickname “Brandon” to refer to him. “All the problems you see with our country, and there’s a huge amount of problems with Brandon in the White House,” he said in an interview this week. “I mean look, the guy is not clicking on all cylinders, he’s not had a very good year.” “We’re still strong in the state of Florida. We’re beating Brandon in Florida,” the governor said. “When I got elected, there were about 300,000 more registered Democrats in Florida than...

California is in dire straits. We are fighting like crazy to oust Democrat rule; Florida, you need to do the same--unless you want leftist California politics taking over your state. Dear Florida Voters, Unless you want to turn into high-tax, high crime, heavily regulated, low-freedom California, think carefully about your vote for Governor. I highly recommend Ron DeSantis for Florida Governor. How did Andrew Gillum, the self-anointed “democratic socialist” candidate for governor of Florida, the most failed mayor in all of Florida win the Democrat nomination? His candidacy is a stunning indictment of how far Left the Democrat Party has...

"After the earlier debate was cancelled by Gillum, Sunday evening will be voters' first chance to see them go head-to-head." " Finally, this weekend brings Floridians' first opportunity to see the two candidates for governor, Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum, go head-to-head in a debate. The details: it's happening in Tampa at 8 p.m., in the local PBS studio. Voters can watch the debate, likely moderated by Jake Tapper, on CNN. Previously, there had been three debates scheduled between the candidates. A Telemundo debate in Orlando was supposed to take place on Tuesday, Oct. 16, but Gillum cancelled,...

For more than a year, the state of Florida failed to conduct national background checks on tens of thousands of applications for concealed weapons permits, potentially allowing drug addicts or people with a mental illness to carry firearms in public. A previously unreported Office of Inspector General investigation found that in February 2016 the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stopped using a FBI crime database called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System that ensures applicants who want to carry a gun do not have a disqualifying history in other states. The employee in charge of the background...

With the 2012 election behind us, candidates have begun preparing for races in 2014. One of the earliest Libertarian Party candidates to declare is Adrian Wyllie, chair of the Florida LP, who announced earlier this month that he would run for governor. He plans to distinguish his campaign by focusing on his plan to combat the federal government's encroachments on state sovereignty. "One of my highest priorities is going to be upholding the 10th Amendment, and rejecting any unconstitutional federal mandates or laws on the state level," Wyllie said. "I think one of our biggest problems is the assault on...

A Sept. 10-12 Ipsos Public Affairs poll for Reuters (MoE =/- 4.6%) found 47 percent of likely voters backing Rick Scott and 45 percent Alex Sink. In the Senate race, Rubio led the field with 40 percent, compared to 26 percent for Crist, and 21 percent for Meek. Crist was winning 31 percent of Democrats (Meek 47 percent); 22 percent of Republicans, and 52 percent of independents. Interestingly, among registered voters it was Rubio 32, Crist 29, and Meek 22. Asked how they'd vote without Meek in the race, it was Rubio 46, Crist 45.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Republican gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist has removed a pastor who once called Islam a "cult" from his policy council, campaign officials said. Rev. O'Neal Dozier, who once told a crowd of pastors that Jesus Christ told him Crist would be the next governor, was taken off the "Strengthening Florida's Families" advisory panel Friday, said Erin Isaacs, Crist's deputy campaign press secretary. A statement from the Crist campaign said the candidate respects Dozier's right to express his political and religious beliefs, but he does not agree with Dozier's views on Islam. "Charlie Crist believes that we must not...

Jim Davis' general election campaign for governor turned sour the moment he started celebrating winning the Democratic nomination. "How sweet it is!" he declared Tuesday night, digging at the sugar industry's investment of several million dollars on behalf of Rod Smith. Nothing wrong with poking a deep-pocket special interest. But Davis never mentioned Smith in his victory speech, never reached out to Smith's supporters, much less to Republicans. Meanwhile, Republican Charlie Crist was celebrating his more decisive primary victory by reaching out to Tom Gallagher's supporters, Democrats and anybody else within earshot. For Davis, the day after was even worse....

Elton John Joins Reno's Campaign Aug 2, 1:36 PM (ET) By The Associated Press MIAMI (AP) - Elton John has become the latest of Janet Reno's celebrity friends to help her campaign for governor, agreeing to sing at a September fund-raiser in Florida. The 55-year-old entertainer will perform at a private, $500-per-ticket event Sept. 18 at a suburban Fort Lauderdale hotel, Reno spokeswoman Nicole Harburger said Thursday. The two met when Reno was U.S. attorney general, and John recently invited the Democratic hopeful to an Academy Awards party, Harburger said. "He said he'd do anything to support her campaign," she...

Democratic challengers gain, but Bush keeps lead in poll By Linda Kleindienst Tallahassee Bureau Chief Posted July 2 2002 TALLAHASSEE · Janet Reno continues to maintain a strong lead over fellow Democrats in their battle to face Republican Gov. Jeb Bush in November, but her closest challenger could pose a bigger threat to the incumbent governor's re-election bid, according to a new Sun-Sentinel poll. Reno, the former U.S. attorney general who enjoys widespread name recognition, leads her nearest rival, Tampa lawyer Bill McBride, by more than two-to-one -- 45 to 18 percentage points. Miami state Sen. Daryl Jones is a...

Plus, Reno will send some people to the polls simply to vote against her, particularly gun owners, Cuban Americans and haters of President Bill Clinton. The smart money in some circles says Janet Reno is too liberal and too controversial to be elected governor this year. She carries too much political baggage, union leaders said when they recently endorsed Bill McBride, her main Democratic rival for governor. But a look at recent election returns in Florida and the excitement Reno's campaign is generating among the core constituencies of the Democratic party produce a scenario in which she could defeat...