The Florida State Board of Education approved new artificial intelligence (AI) rules on Wednesday for K-12 public schools, charter schools, and the 28 institutions in the Florida College System.
School districts must alert parents when they approve an AI tool and explain how students will interact with it. If a student will use the tool directly, parents must opt their child in. Families that decline will be offered comparable alternatives that do not use AI.
&#8220;Florida will not outsource childhood to a chatbot,&#8221; Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/florida-sets-national-standard-for-responsible-ai-in-classroomsfrom-vpk-through-college.stml">said</a>. &#8220;We welcome tools that help teachers teach and students learn. We will not accept tools that hide from parents, harvest student data, grade kids in secret, or pretend to be a friend.&#8221;
&#8220;In this state, a teacher stands in front of the class, a parent has the last word, and a student still has to think,&#8221; he added.
According to the Florida Department of Education, &#8220;The rules treat AI as a workforce reality, not a classroom fad.&#8221;
AI tools used in voluntary prekindergarten through fifth grade are subject to an additional review for age and developmental appropriateness before they can be approved.
The K-12 rule prohibits schools from using AI products designed to meet students&#8217; social or emotional needs, simulate friendship, or use humanlike features to encourage children to continue interacting with them.
AI tools are prohibited from secretly tracking students&#8217; behavior, assigning social scores, or developing psychological profiles. Providers are also barred from selling student data or exploiting it to train commercial AI models. Teachers and administrators must receive training on AI risks, limitations, and compliance.
<a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2026/09/16/florida-board-approves-ai-guidelines-for-k-12-schools-colleges/?lctg=fd884aa95b2af9a457bc96c449a53e39&amp;active=no&amp;utm_campaign=trib-sun_sentinel-breaking_news-nl&amp;utm_content=alert&amp;utm_source=sailthru&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_cluster=TRIB&amp;utm_profileID=6a7c212a97f7c87f4b5fb8ba">According</a> to the Sun Sentinel, unsupervised AI use will not be permitted.
At Florida College System institutions, students may not use AI on graded assignments unless an instructor permits it. Colleges must also establish policies addressing academic integrity, grading, student privacy, and faculty use of AI.
DeSantis appointed all seven current members of the state Board of Education.
State Board of Education Chair Ryan Petty, a Republican, said, &#8220;Innovation without those conditions is not leadership. It is abdication.&#8221;
Education Commissioner Henry Mack, a DeSantis <a href="https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article316612989.html">ally</a>, said Florida was rejecting both a ban and unfettered access.
&#8220;An educated person can use a powerful tool without becoming dependent on it. That is the line Florida is drawing,&#8221; Mack said. &#8220;AI belongs in a classroom when it sharpens instruction, elevates or enhances the learning experience, protects privacy, and leaves the student&#8217;s own mind stronger than it found it.&#8221;
He continued: &#8220;It does not belong in a classroom when it writes the essay, scores the child in secret, offers itself as a companion, or coopts the intellectual virtue of critical thinking.&#8221;
Districts must finalize their updated policies by July 1, 2027, ahead of the 2027-2028 school year.

Robot in classroom

The Classroom AI Shift Every Parent Should Know About

artificial intelligence in education

florida

florida department of education

ron desantis

student privacy

A Chinese billionaire who has reportedly fathered more than 100 children through American surrogates is raising more concern about the limits of America’s birthright citizenship policy, and whether U.S. citizenship should effectively be purchased by way of a surrogate.
CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/projects/2026/surrogacy-abuse/">reported</a> that a woman identified as “Judy” became a surrogate after seeing an Instagram advertisement promising $120,000. The single mother, who has a 7-year-old daughter, said she hoped the money would allow her to get a home of her own and “build a better life” for her family.
However, after she signed with surrogacy agency Patriot Conceptions, she learned that the intended father was a single man who had already hired a large number of surrogates. “I can’t be exact, but I know it was a large number,” she told CBS. “That’s a lot of kids at one time.”
The woman also said she&#8217;s repeatedly asked to meet Xu, at least five times now, and has been denied the request each time. “It leaves me wondering: do I even have a right to know?” Judy asked.
Leaked documents obtained by CBS identified the father as Xu Bo, a Chinese national and wealthy video game executive. Xu has been linked to more than 100 children born through U.S. surrogates, and a former business partner has claimed Xu has as many as 300 children.
Adding fuel to the shocking report, Xu recently posted a photograph on social media showing more than 100 young children seated in rows. Days later, he reportedly said in Chinese that he believes “more children bring more blessings” and that he hopes his words and actions will benefit “the long-term development of the Chinese nation.”
The children, since born on United States soil, are all citizens of America. Under the U.S. Supreme Court&#8217;s June interpretation of the 14th Amendment, virtually every child born on American soil is a U.S. citizen regardless of the parents’ immigration status, with narrow exceptions.
Critics say Xu is effectively purchasing U.S. citizenship by way of renting women&#8217;s bodies. He is drawing attention to the recent 14th Amendment interpretation. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), for example, reacted to the reports about the Chinese national by writing, &#8220;And some claim that this is what the 14th Amendment requires. Absurd!”
Florida lawmakers have notably moved to restrict surrogacy arrangements involving citizens or residents of countries deemed “countries of concern,” including China.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-a-surrogacy-nightmare-exposed-americas-fractured-abortion-law-depravity?author=Matt+Cookson&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+A+Surrogacy+Nightmare+Exposed+America’s+Fractured+Abortion+Law+Depravity">How A Surrogacy Nightmare Exposed America’s Fractured Abortion Law Depravity</a>

Xu Bo

Chinese Billionaire Fathers 100+ Children Through U.S. Surrogates, Causing Citizenship Crisis

Chinese Billionaire Fathers 100+ Children By Surrogate, Raising Birthright Citizenship Question

14th amendment

birthright citizenship

china

immigration

surrogacy dispute

President Donald Trump came out in favor of Flock surveillance cameras on Sunday, saying that he liked the controversial technology because it helps law enforcement. 
“I sort of like them because of that, because of law enforcement, but some people don’t. They think it&#8217;s an infringement, but I like them,” Trump told reporters while flying on Air Force One. 
Debate over Flock&#8217;s solar-paneled license plate readers has erupted in recent months with supporters saying that they help police fight crime while others argue that they create a surveillance state. Leftist critics worry the cameras will be used by ICE to arrest illegal immigrants.  
Flock says that its cameras take pictures of vehicles and license plates that can be used by &#8220;authorized users,&#8221; such as law enforcement, to track down leads and solve criminal cases. It says that it does not use facial recognition technology, “continuously” track vehicles, or provide live video footage. 
Around 5,000 law enforcement agencies are estimated to use Flock cameras and many police organizations have come out to defend the use of the cameras. 
“These are put out into public places where everybody has the right to record them anyways; if you’re standing on the sidewalk, you can pull out your phone and record every car that drives by there,” <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/24/flock-cameras-face-growing-backlash-across-texas-counties-but-getting-rid-of-them-is-complicated/">said</a> Texas Municipal Police Association liaison John Wilkerson. “I really hope the individuals out there, destroying the camera systems, never become a victim of a crime themselves.”
Other organizations, like the Fraternal Order of Police, back the technology used but have <a href="https://fop.net/2026/08/who-the-flock-do-you-think-you-are/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">criticized</a> Flock for its handling of privacy concerns and called for more safeguards. 
Republican Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas have both taken action to restrict the use of Flock cameras. DeSantis <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/desantis-says-flock-cameras-are-out-of-control/">said</a> last month that use of the cameras was “out of control” and took action to remove Flock cameras from state highways. 
“I’m all about having law enforcement have tools to hold criminals accountable,” he said. “I think that’s important that we do that, and no one’s been stronger on law enforcement than me, but I don’t want to have this become a surveillance state.”
In Texas, Abbott <a href="https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/public-safety/2026/08/29/560700/texas-greg-abbott-flock-cameras-order-state-mone/">paused</a> state funds from being used to fund Flock cameras by state agencies. 
Trump has taken a decisively pro-technology stance as president, backing the construction of new data centers and supporting the development of artificial intelligence. 
“It&#8217;s going to be more good than bad,” he said when asked Sunday if he was downplaying concerns about AI. &#8220;And I&#8217;ve said it from the very beginning. Whoever wins AI, and we&#8217;re leading by a lot. Whoever wins AI wins.”

Donald Trump visit to Ireland

Trump Weighs In On Flock Cameras

donald trump

flock cameras

greg abbott

law enforcement

surveillance

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet approved a rule Friday establishing the process for designating domestic and foreign terrorist organizations, clearing the way for the state to formally designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Brotherhood, and Antifa.
The vote took less than two minutes and came about two months after DeSantis <a href="https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2026/governor-ron-desantis-announces-implementation-florida-law-combat-terrorist">announced</a> that Florida’s Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass had recommended designating the three groups. 
The new rule implements a Florida law that took effect earlier this year that gives Glass, the state’s chief of domestic security, authority to recommend terrorist designations. The governor and Cabinet must then approve the designation.
Under the process approved Friday, a designation would take effect 30 days after being published in the Florida Administrative Register. An organization would have seven days after receiving notice to object in writing and submit documentation.
“As Florida chief of domestic security, I know there are imminent dangers to public health, safety, and welfare due to increasing risks from foreign and domestic terrorist groups,” Glass <a href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/11/florida-cabinet-approves-process-to-designate-cair-and-others-as-domestic-terrorist-groups/">told local media</a> Friday.
“This provides an appropriate framework where they can take action appropriately so that they can defend the people of Florida against possible actors and terrorist groups,” DeSantis said before moving to approve the rule. 
The underlying <a href="https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=84224&amp;SessionId=113">law</a> bars state agencies, local governments, and public schools from using state funds to support designated organizations. It also creates criminal penalties for knowingly providing material support or resources to a designated domestic terrorist organization.
Public schools and universities are prohibited from using state or federal funds for programs that promote designated terrorist organizations. The law also contains restrictions affecting students who promote such groups, including the possible loss of financial assistance and reporting requirements for students attending on visas.
The measure passed the Florida Senate 25-11 and received final approval from the state House in an 80-25 vote before DeSantis signed it in April. The law took effect July 1.
The designation effort is already facing two federal lawsuits. CAIR and CAIR Florida sued after DeSantis issued a December 2025 <a href="https://www.flgov.com/eog/sites/default/files/executive-orders/2025/EO%2025-244.pdf">executive order</a> labeling CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood foreign terrorist organizations for purposes of state action.
In March, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/florida/flndce/4:2025cv00516/536745/43/">issued</a> a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of that order against CAIR, finding that it likely violated the First Amendment. The DeSantis administration <a href="https://dockets.justia.com/docket/circuit-courts/ca11/26-10735">appealed</a> the ruling two days later.
CAIR, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other attorneys, filed a separate lawsuit in July challenging the new state law. The organization argues that the designation system is unconstitutional and that Florida has no legitimate basis for labeling it a terrorist organization.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-designates-muslim-brotherhood-cair-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations">designated</a> the Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations in November 2025. The Texas designations subjected the organizations and their affiliates to heightened penalties under state law and prohibited them from acquiring real property in the state. Abbott subsequently directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate the two organizations for potential violations of state and federal law.
The Trump administration has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/treasury-department-busts-global-muslim-brotherhood-hamas-terror-financing-network">also taken action</a> against individual Muslim Brotherhood branches. The Treasury Department and State Department designated the Egyptian and Jordanian branches as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, citing their alleged material support for Hamas. The State Department separately designated the <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/terrorist-designations-of-muslim-brotherhood-chapters">Lebanese Muslim Brotherhood in January</a>, while the <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/03/terrorist-designation-of-the-sudanese-muslim-brotherhood">Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood was designated in March</a>. 
Neither CAIR nor the Muslim Brotherhood as a whole has received a federal terrorist designation.

Governor DeSantis Hold News Conference On Border Security

Florida Approves Process To Designate CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood, Antifa As Terror Groups

antifa

council on american islamic relations

muslim brotherhood

politics

Florida students are heading back to school this year with a new addition to their history curriculum: a comprehensive study of communism, including its history, domestic movements, and the atrocities committed by communist regimes.
The new standards are the culmination of a five-year effort by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers to expand civics education and ensure students learn about the dangers of totalitarian ideologies.
The effort began in 2021, when DeSantis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/desantis-signs-law-requiring-students-to-learn-evils-of-communism-real-patriots-who-escaped-it">signed a package</a> of legislation overhauling civics education in Florida. One of those measures required high school students to receive instruction comparing political ideologies such as communism and totalitarianism with the principles of freedom and democracy underlying the American founding. The legislation also created the state&#8217;s “Portraits in Patriotism” initiative, which uses the stories of people who fled persecution in countries including Cuba and Venezuela to teach students about the value of American liberty.
In 2022, DeSantis signed legislation <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/desantis-signs-law-requiring-lessons-on-victims-of-commmunism-in-florida-schools">establishing</a> Victims of Communism Day in Florida. Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, public schools were required to provide at least 45 minutes of instruction addressing communist regimes and the suffering of their victims, including poverty, starvation, migration, political violence, and the suppression of speech and religion.
Then, in 2024, DeSantis signed <a href="https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2024/governor-desantis-signs-legislation-further-enhancing-floridas-education-standards">Senate Bill 1264</a>, expanding the state&#8217;s existing requirements to include the history of communism in the United States, domestic communist movements and their tactics, as well as the atrocities committed by communist regimes around the world. 
“We’re going to tell the truth about communism in the state of Florida. We’re going to tell the truth about the evils of communism,” DeSantis <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/desantis-signs-bill-requiring-communism-education-courses-in-florida-public-schools">said</a> when signing the legislation in 2024.
The State Board of Education <a href="https://www.fldoe.org/newsroom/latest-news/state-board-of-education-approves-new-history-of-communism-standards-.stml">approved</a> the resulting History of Communism standards in November 2025, with implementation beginning during the 2026-27 school year. The standards are designed to extend across the K-12 curriculum, with the state emphasizing that instruction will be age-appropriate at each grade level. Then-Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said at the time, “With the resurgence of communist ideologies across the United States and throughout the world, it is more important than ever for students to understand the catastrophic failures and human suffering caused by communist regimes.&#8221;
The curriculum will cover more than the familiar history of the Soviet Union. It includes communism&#8217;s development in the United States, domestic communist movements, the tactics used by communist organizations, and the consequences of communist rule internationally. It also requires students to compare communism and totalitarianism with the principles of freedom and democracy that underpin the American system of government. 
The reforms have particular resonance in South Florida, where generations of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan immigrants have personal or family histories of fleeing communist and socialist regimes. When DeSantis signed the 2024 legislation, he was joined by veterans of the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba. 
“The most important fight against communism is the one that’s done in the schoolrooms,” Rafael Montalvo, president of the Brigade 2506 Veterans Association, said at the time. “That’s where the battle is happening right now.” 
Florida&#8217;s effort represents a sustained attempt to make anti-communism and civic literacy a formal part of public education rather than leaving those lessons to individual teachers or schools.
As students return to classrooms for the 2026-27 school year, the reforms that began with DeSantis&#8217; 2021 civics push are finally becoming a regular part of what Florida students are taught about America&#8217;s founding principles — and the ideologies that have historically opposed them.

US-NEWS-FLA-EDUCATION-BILLS-2-MI

Reading, Writing, Communism: Inside New Curriculum Teaching Kids About Evil

civics education

communism

education curriculum

Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) won the Republican nomination for governor Tuesday, clearing the way for a general election showdown to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) after a contentious primary that tested the future of Florida’s conservative movement.
With 90% of the vote counted, Donalds is cruising to victory with about 48%, well ahead of Lt. Gov. Jay Collins (R-FL) at 25% and businessman James Fishback (R-FL) at 10%. <a href="https://votes.decisiondeskhq.com/races/2026-08-18/florida-governor-republican-primary">Decision Desk HQ</a> called the race at 8 p.m. ET.
&#8220;I want to start by thanking God for all His blessings and protection over my family, and over my team,” Donalds said in a Tuesday night celebration speech. &#8220;Tonight, the primary is over. Tonight, we put aside our differences. Tonight, we are one united Republican Party.&#8221;
Donalds, like Trump, was born in New York City but has represented Florida’s 19th Congressional District — which covers Southwest Florida along the Gulf Coast — in Washington since 2021. Widely viewed as a rising star in the Republican Party, Donalds was even floated as a potential vice presidential pick during the 2024 election cycle, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/byron-donalds-on-vp-buzz-im-a-real-simple-dude-i-just-want-to-win">The Daily Wire</a> reported. 
“It’d be a great honor, but it’s his decision,” Donalds said in a Nashville interview with The Daily Wire at the time. “He’ll decide what he wants to do, and whatever his decision is, I’m going to support that. I just want to win,” he added. “I’m a real simple dude. I just want to win and be successful. That’s it.”
That attitude appeared to win over Trump, who jumped into the race in May, endorsing Donalds as a “highly respected” congressman who would help advance the “America First Agenda.”
“I know Byron well, have seen him tested at the highest and most difficult levels, and he is a TOTAL WINNER,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116642799421262985">said</a> on Truth Social. “Byron Donalds will be a truly Great and Powerful Governor for Florida, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement — HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN!” 
On the campaign trail, Donalds<a href="https://byrondonalds.com/issues/"> ran</a> on advancing President Trump’s agenda, cracking down on illegal immigration, ending “woke ideology” in schools, and calling for an<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR4qqMWegVs"> end</a> to Cuba’s communist regime in an effort to win over Florida’s large Latino electorate. 
The former Democrat has also spoken openly about his born-again Christian conversion, which he says happened in a<a href="https://www.axios.com/local/tampa-bay/2025/09/08/byron-donalds-cracker-barrel-parking-lot"> Cracker Barrel</a> parking lot. As a young man, Donalds faced charges at 18 for marijuana possession and again at 20 in connection with a bank fraud scheme involving a bad check. The marijuana charge was dismissed after Donalds completed a pretrial diversion program, and he later had the fraud record sealed and expunged.
Fishback, who has himself faced questions over <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/florida-school-gop-james-fishback-sexual-misconduct-allegations-rcna249963">sexual misconduct allegations</a>, <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/811578-judge-orders-james-fishback-to-pay-his-former-hedge-fund-employer-1-3m/">financial disputes</a>, and <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/politics/decision/james-fishback-stays-on-ballot-florida-governors-race-residency-claims/3839164/">residency requirements</a>, sought to capitalize on Donalds’ past but faced backlash after calling the GOP front-runner a “DEI hire” and a <a href="https://x.com/Patriot_Clips/status/2075663909227253891?s=20">“slave”</a> to corporate interests.
“I will apologize for calling Byron Donalds a slave when he gives back the $81 million he has taken from AIPAC, hedge-fund billionaires, and special interests who are trying to pave over the state and turn us into a concrete jungle,” Fishback <a href="https://x.com/Patriot_Clips/status/2075663909227253891?s=20">told</a> reporters. 
The 31-year-old, who is closely <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vtjidiZRTg">aligned with Tucker Carlson</a>, ran a headline-grabbing, grievance-filled campaign built around issues he believed would resonate with the Gen Z right, including banning data centers, suspending aid to Israel, implementing a “sin” tax on OnlyFans, and ending what he called the H-1B visa &#8220;scam.&#8221;
DeSantis, barred from seeking a third term, largely stayed on the sidelines as the primary unfolded. He praised former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner while withholding an endorsement and took a pointed swipe at Donalds last year.
“We’ve achieved victories in Florida,” DeSantis <a href="https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/politics/elections/desantis-endorse-governor-candidates-florida-2026/67-d41d3df8-f85c-44e5-bbbc-82067c738590">said</a> during a press conference last year. “A guy like Byron, he just hasn’t been a part of any of the victories that we’ve had here over the Left over these last years.”
Donalds and DeSantis were once close allies, but their relationship fractured in 2023 after Donalds broke with the governor over controversial education standards. The standards said enslaved people developed skills that could later be “applied for their personal benefit,” according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/byron-donalds-donald-trump-florida-governor-desantis-7cf12bdb0899d0165c4cbd98e5b3abe3#">Associated Press</a>. 
Donalds pushed back publicly at the time, writing on social media: “The new African-American standards in FL are good, robust, &amp; accurate. That being said, the attempt to feature the personal benefits of slavery is wrong &amp; needs to be adjusted.”
Looking ahead, Donalds said <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/814808-byron-donalds-still-expects-ron-desantis-to-back-him-after-primary/">he expects</a> to earn the governor’s support as he prepares to carry the DeSantis legacy forward. Donalds has vowed to continue Florida’s fight against “woke” ideology in schools and state government. 
Under DeSantis, Florida has become a national battleground over culture-war fights, including DEI, abortion, and transgender issues. The state recently scored a major legal victory in its <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-year-culture-war-fight-ends-with-major-win-for-desantis?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=35&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Three-Year+Culture+War+Fight+Ends+With+Major+Win+For+DeSantis">three-year fight</a> over a law restricting minors from attending sexually explicit live performances, including drag shows.
November&#8217;s election will effectively mark the end of the DeSantis era, which transformed Florida from a purple swing state into a ruby-red bastion for conservatives nationwide. Florida’s Republican advantage has grown dramatically in recent years, holding a roughly <a href="https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-party-affiliation/?lv=true&amp;quot=&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com">1.5 million-voter registration edge</a> over Democrats. To win statewide, the Democrats would need to overcome the GOP’s registration lead by winning back Hispanics and persuading a large bloc of conservative-leaning voters who have backed Republicans in statewide elections.
This fall, Donalds will face Democratic nominee David Jolly, a former Republican congressman turned Democrat who wants to repeal Florida’s abortion ban and is leaning into identity politics. 
“Culture wars divide and demonize. Florida should reject the politics of division and hate, and instead create a home where everyone is valued, respected, and welcomed,” Jolly’s <a href="https://davidjolly.com/issues/">campaign website</a> reads. “Florida should embrace our immigrant community and celebrate their contributions to our state&#8217;s culture and economy.”
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/governor/race/479481">Cook Political Report</a> rates the race as Solid Republican.

Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Byron Donalds Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Byron Donalds Cruises To Victory In Fight To Succeed DeSantis As Florida Governor

2026 midterm election

byron donalds

florida governor election

Michael Caruso, the Palm Beach County clerk of courts and former Republican Florida state representative, was arrested Tuesday on charges alleging he sexually abused his grandson, a child under the age of 12.
The arrest carries a dark political irony: Caruso was one of the Florida lawmakers who voted for a 2023 law making certain sexual offenses against children under 12 eligible for the death penalty. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has indicated additional charges could follow.
Caruso, 67, faces charges of kidnapping, lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse causing mental injury, according to an <a href="https://www.flgov.com/eog/sites/default/files/shared/2026/08/EO_26-170_Caruso_Suspension_0.pdf">arrest affidavit</a>. The alleged victim, Caruso&#8217;s grandson, was under 12 at the time of the alleged abuse. Caruso has not been charged with sexual battery, which can be a capital offense under Florida law when committed by an adult against a child under 12. Florida law defines sexual battery to include certain forms of oral, anal, or genital penetration.
Caruso served in the Florida House from 2018 until 2025 and was appointed Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis last year. DeSantis suspended him from office Tuesday following his arrest, with Shannon Ramsey-Chessman sworn in as interim clerk.
The allegations against Caruso date back to 2024, according to investigators. The boy&#8217;s father became aware of possible abuse in October 2025 after observing concerning sexual behavior involving the child and his younger brother. The child subsequently told investigators that Caruso had molested him during a 2024 fishing trip and &#8220;placed his &#8216;pp&#8217; in his mouth&#8221; while showering with the victim on a family cruise in August 2025. The alleged conduct described by the child could fall within Florida&#8217;s statutory definition of sexual battery, though Caruso has not been charged with that offense.
According to the affidavit, Caruso later acknowledged taking the child fishing and separating him from his parents during the cruise but denied abusing him. During a recorded conversation with the boy&#8217;s father in February, Caruso allegedly said the accusations were impossible because he is attracted to women and warned, “If you report this to the authorities there won&#8217;t be any of me left, I can tell you that.” The investigation remains ongoing.
The arrest comes three years after Caruso voted for HB 1297, legislation <a href="https://www.flgov.com/eog/news/press/2023/governor-ron-desantis-signs-third-consecutive-anti-crime-pro-public-safety">signed</a> by DeSantis in 2023 that created a capital offense for an adult who commits sexual battery against a child under 12. Under the law, such an offense can be punished by either death or life imprisonment. Caruso&#8217;s current charges include lewd or lascivious molestation, which is a separate offense under Florida law. 
Florida lawmakers approved the legislation by votes of 95-14 in the House and 34-5 in the Senate. The law was part of DeSantis&#8217; broader 2023 public-safety agenda and was explicitly designed to make certain child sex offenders eligible for capital punishment. 
Caruso&#8217;s case will now proceed in Orange County, where the alleged victim lives. He is being held without bond pending his first court appearance.

Florida Counties Face Deadline For Recount

Lawmaker Could Face Execution Under Law He Voted To Pass

child sexual abuse

death penalty

michael caruso

Chick-fil-A sparked some excitement this week when it announced that it&#8217;s adding a new all-day chicken and waffles breakfast sandwich, frosted coffee flavor, and milkshake to its menu this fall.
The breakfast sandwich has especially piqued Americans&#8217; interest as it will mark Chick-fil-A&#8217;s first nationwide attempt at chicken and waffles. The new sandwich features a chicken fillet and three strips of applewood-smoked bacon, plus honey butter spread and a side of syrup, with two waffles serving as the bun. The restaurant is also adding a S’mores Milkshake and a S’mores Frosted Coffee in celebration of the chain’s 80th anniversary. 
The new lineup will be available for order on August 24 and will run through November. The announcement has already racked up a wave of positive comments on social media. 
“Finally, some news I actually give a sh*t about,” <a href="https://x.com/Zeitresu/status/2087916845957599742">said</a> one user. 
“God loves us,” <a href="https://x.com/melancoptimist/status/2087945372035379364">wrote</a> another user. 
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also chimed in, <a href="https://x.com/RonDeSantis/status/2087936587011109268?s=20">saying</a>, ”That’s going to cost me — three kids who will want both chicken and waffles and a s’mores milkshake. Can I get through the drive thru in under $50?” he wrote. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
That’s going to cost me — three kids who will want both chicken and waffles and a s’mores milkshake. Can I get through the drive thru in under $50? <a href="https://t.co/sS6zhgB0HD">https://t.co/sS6zhgB0HD</a>
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://x.com/RonDeSantis/status/2087936587011109268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2026</a></blockquote>
DeSantis is known to be a huge Chick-fil-A fan and previously said that without the popular chain, his family’s everyday life would look different. 
“That’s probably our kids’ favorite thing. And look, it’s not like you just do it every day, but when you’re going from a baseball game to this or that, to be able to do it’s important,&#8221; he said.
Chick-fil-A Director of Menu and Packaging Allison Duncan said the restaurant decided on the new menu as nostalgia-based trends have recently taken off.
“In this year of Newstalgia-inspired celebrations, we wanted to bring something unique this fall by reimagining the comforting flavors our guests crave this time of year, delivering a taste that feels both familiar and new to appeal to all ages,” Duncan <a href="https://www.chick-fil-a.com/press-room/chick-fil-a-debuts-chicken-waffles-and-smores-flavored-treats">said</a>. 
“We have never done a seasonal breakfast entrée, so we’re excited about that — and I think it points back to that nostalgic idea of breakfast for dinner,” she added.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-fil-A Reveals Revamped Menu — And It Even Got Ron DeSantis Talking

chick fil a

lifestyle

A federal appeals court <a href="https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202312160.enb.pdf">ruled</a> Tuesday that Florida can enforce its law banning children from attending sexually explicit live performances, delivering a significant win for the state&#8217;s effort to keep minors away from adult-themed drag shows.
“Huge victory for our team at the 11th Circuit! After 3 years of litigation, the full court affirmed the constitutionality of Florida’s ban on children attending sexualized drag shows,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier <a href="https://x.com/AGJamesUthmeier/status/2084668048112341393?s=20">said</a>.  
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) signed Florida&#8217;s Protection of Children Act into law in 2023. The measure makes it a misdemeanor to admit a child to an adult live performance featuring nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement, specific sexual acts, lewd conduct, or the lewd display of prosthetic or imitation genitals or breasts.
The law became a national flashpoint in the conservative movement&#8217;s campaign to protect children. Supporters argued it protected them from sexually explicit entertainment, while opponents said it threatened constitutionally protected expression.
Central Florida-based Hamburger Mary&#8217;s, a restaurant chain known for hosting drag performances, sued to block the law, arguing it violated the First and 14th Amendments because its definitions were unconstitutionally vague and overly broad. The restaurant said the law would chill protected speech rather than target only obscene performances.
A federal district judge agreed and issued a statewide preliminary injunction preventing Florida from enforcing the law.
Florida appealed, and the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit vacated that decision on Tuesday with an 8-5 ruling, concluding that Hamburger Mary&#8217;s was unlikely to succeed on the merits of its constitutional claims. In the decision, a six-judge bloc also concluded the district court lacked authority to issue a statewide injunction, one vote short of a majority on that question.
“[T]he district court lacked authority to impose a universal injunction that prevented the enforcement of the Act against everyone in Florida,” Judge Andrew Brasher, a Trump appointee, wrote in the majority opinion reinstating the law. “Second, Hamburger Mary’s was not entitled to even a more limited preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of the Act because its claims do not have a substantial likelihood of success on the merits.”  
The court also rejected the argument that the law&#8217;s reference to the &#8220;age of the child present&#8221; made it unconstitutionally vague.
“There is no doubt the Act is rational. We will not second-guess the Florida Legislature’s decision to regulate obscenity,” the majority wrote. 
Hamburger Mary&#8217;s could ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling. The Daily Wire reached out to Hamburger Mary’s for comment. 
Tuesday’s decision marks a significant legal victory for DeSantis, whose administration has defended the law as part of its effort to shield children from sexually explicit material. 
“We are going to protect the innocence of our children,&#8221; DeSantis <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2084691717341462979?s=20">said</a>. &#8220;Why would it be problematic to say you can&#8217;t do this stuff that&#8217;s sexually explicit in front of minors?&#8221;
 “I want Florida to be family-friendly,&#8221; he added.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, holds a press conference to speak

Three-Year Culture War Fight Ends With Major Win For DeSantis

11th circuit court of appeals

drag show

protection of children act

Florida is set to become the first state in nearly a decade to conduct two executions in a single day on Tuesday as Gov. Ron DeSantis&#8217; administration continues to move on death penalty cases at an unprecedented rate.
James Aren Duckett, 68, is scheduled to die by lethal injection at noon at Florida State Prison near Starke, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-execution-duckett-occhicone-4c313a84631ad20a62998f7dd061dbcf">Associated Press.</a> Duckett, a former Mascotte police officer, was convicted of the <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/florida/supreme-court/2026/sc2026-0449.html">1987 kidnapping, rape, and murder</a> of 11-year-old Teresa Mae McAbee. Prosecutors said he abducted the girl, sexually assaulted her, strangled her, and drowned her in a lake less than a mile from the store where she was last seen.
About six hours later, Florida plans to execute 80-year-old Dominick Anthony Occhicone, who would become the second-oldest inmate put to death in the modern era of the U.S. death penalty, according to the Associated Press. 
Occhicone was convicted of the <a href="https://acis-api.flcourts.gov/courts/68f021c4-6a44-4735-9a76-5360b2e8af13/cms/case/4190fe57-e5c6-47b5-990f-773f93586035/docketentrydocuments/bc305c22-4efd-4801-9ab9-fd43568dd02a?utm_source=chatgpt.com">1986 murders</a> of his former girlfriend&#8217;s parents, Raymond and Martha Artzner, in Pasco County. Prosecutors said he returned to the family&#8217;s home armed with a handgun after his former girlfriend refused to speak with him, cut the home&#8217;s telephone lines, fatally shot Raymond Artzner outside the house, then forced his way inside and killed Martha Artzner.
The Florida Supreme Court earlier this week rejected emergency appeals from both Duckett and Occhicone. On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court also <a href="https://x.com/KelseyReichmann/status/2082146169627578589?s=20">denied</a> their final appeals, clearing the way for the back-to-back executions. No justice noted a dissent.
With six months left in office, DeSantis has presided over a record 19 executions in 2025, the most by any Florida governor in a single year since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, according to an AP analysis. Tuesday&#8217;s two executions would raise the number of executions under DeSantis&#8217;s final two years in office to 31, with another scheduled for August.
“July 28 represents an unprecedented escalation of Florida’s use of the death penalty,” <a href="https://www.fadp.org/florida-set-to-execute-james-duckett-and-dominick-occhicone-tuesday-amidst-innocence-claim-and-7-5-jury-vote/">said</a> Grace Hanna, Executive Director of Floridians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. “These are two profoundly different cases, but they point to the same troubling reality: Florida continues to expand the use of capital punishment, despite mounting evidence that it is not what Floridians want.&#8221;
The Florida Governor, however, is not alone. 
In April, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice on Friday directed the Bureau of Prisons to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commuted-death-sentences-trumps-doj-is-bringing-back-the-firing-squad?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Biden+Commuted+Death+Sentences.+Trump%E2%80%99s+DOJ+Is+Bringing+Back+The+Firing+Squad.">bring back the firing squad and lethal injection</a> for federal executions.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-takes-actions-strengthen-federal-death-penalty">announced a series of new measures</a> to strengthen enforcement of the federal death penalty, clearing the way for the DOJ to carry out executions once inmates exhaust their appeals.
“Among the actions taken are readopting the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration, expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad, and streamlining internal processes to expedite death penalty cases,” the Justice Department said in a press release.
The directives fulfill a campaign promise for Trump, who on his first day back in office <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/restoring-the-death-penalty-and-protecting-public-safety/">issued</a> an order to “pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use” and marks a reversal from the Biden administration’s handling of federal executions.
In 2021, former President Joe Biden&#8217;s DOJ imposed an indefinite moratorium, effectively blocking all federal executions. In December 2024, he commuted the sentences of 37 of 40 inmates on federal death row at the urging of then-Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Those granted mass clemency included Thomas Sanders, who was convicted of murdering <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commutes-sentences-of-dozens-of-murderers-two-days-before-christmas">12-year-old Lexis Roberts</a> and hiding her body in the woods. Another included Daryl Lawrence, who killed 33-year-old Ohio police officer Bryan Hurst during a 2005 bank robbery in Columbus.
“These decisions inflicted untold damage on victims of crime and, ultimately, to the rule of law itself,” Blanche <a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1437806/dl?inline">said</a>.

Lethal Injection Room at Huntsville

Red State Set To Carry Out Rare Double Executions On Same Day

Capital Punishment

crime

News

After President Joe Biden outraged millions of Christians by declaring Easter Sunday as the “Transgender Day of Visibility,” former Republican representative David Jolly stood by him. 
Jolly, now running for governor in Florida as a Democrat, did a media tour to defend Biden and lecture conservatives about their theology. Now, Democrats are running him to replace Ron DeSantis as governor of Florida as he attempts to sweep culture war issues under the rug. 
Many Democrats have been quiet on the transgender issues this election cycle after polling showed that the issue hampered Kamala Harris in 2024. Jolly was vocal about the topic during his post-Republican days, attacking his former party for passing laws banning transgender procedures on kids and keeping gender-confused boys off of girls&#8217; sports teams.
Jolly even vigorously defended Biden after he called in March 2024 for Americans on Easter Sunday to “join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation.” Biden’s decision prompted significant pushback from prominent Republicans like House Speaker Mike Johnson and the Trump campaign. Jolly said their politics and theology were wrong. 
“The Jesus they celebrate today would be inclusive of the transgender community, and would be supportive of the transgender community,” he said while <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaAJMq4_gdg">appearing</a> on MSNBC, adding that “all Christians, including Donald Trump, Mike Johnson, and others who celebrate today, that, in fact, they should love the transgender community as they love their own God. I am not sure the theology upon which they rely to criticize Joe Biden.”
“I think it&#8217;s wrong theologically, it&#8217;s wrong morally, and it&#8217;s absolutely stupid politically,” he added. 
In another appearance on the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast, he said conservatives turned Biden’s proclamation into the latest “culture war” flash point. 
“First, theologically and doctrinally, I think the Right is wrong when it comes to biblical theology. I think they&#8217;re a long ways from what Jesus would do, the bracelets they used to wear,” he said. “ The reality is Jesus is a loving God who would support the trans community and be proud of their bravery and the struggle that they have gone through for recognition and equity.”
In other media appearances reviewed by The Daily Wire, Jolly attacked a law shielding kids from transgender procedures and claimed that kids would be ripped away from their parents if they obtained transgender medications from outside of Florida. 
“That&#8217;s the real consequence of this war on gender-affirming care and the trans community,” he said on the Joe Walsh <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0HXaFr8uaE">podcast</a>. “I don&#8217;t have a personal appreciation or understanding of what all that is like. But I know what it would feel like if the state stepped in and say, ‘Hey, Jolly, you&#8217;re not allowed to make decisions for your kid?’”
Jolly also said he was fine with biological boys competing on girls’ sports teams during an interview with radio host Charlie Sykes. 
“I think it&#8217;s been pretty disgusting what we&#8217;ve seen from Republicans in the past several years on this. Look, I don&#8217;t think we need to knock down that youth soccer player who is working with their family and their doctor on whatever their current, you know, crisis is personally,” he said. “I think it can be supportive of them to allow them to play in youth sports.”
Ultimately he said he thought that the case should be decided by the Supreme Court.
&#8220;I think some latitude among the sports leagues to make decisions, but ultimately, it&#8217;s a constitutional question that the courts are going to have to decide,&#8221; he said. 
Jolly, whose issues page on his website does not mention &#8220;transgender&#8221; or LGBTQ, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weY8ycv-6dc">recently predicted</a> that he would be criticized by Republicans for being pro-transgender.
The Democrat is expected to face off against Rep. Byron Donalds, who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. Donalds has a large lead against GOP rivals including <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/768484-woman-says-james-fishback-dated-her-while-she-was-underage-then-harassed-her-after-breakup/">James Fishback</a>, Lt. Governor Jay Collins, and former Florida House Speaker Paul Renner.

Key Speakers At National Action Network Convention

Dems’ ‘Ex-Republican’ Governor Hopeful Is A True Believer In Gender Radicalism

David Jolly

transgender

A new Republican-backed bill that would grant amnesty to illegal immigrant agricultural workers is facing an onslaught of criticism from immigration hawks.
House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn &#8220;GT&#8221; Thompson (R-PA) recently introduced the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act to provide illegal immigrant farmworkers with a path to temporary legal status.
Gregory Bovino, who led the Trump administration&#8217;s aggressive deportation sweeps in Minneapolis and other major cities before his recent retirement from Border Patrol, <a href="https://x.com/GregoryKBovino/status/2079545595359092890">said</a> the Republican lawmakers backing the bill &#8220;just stabbed Trump’s deportation promise in the back.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re only gonna get the message one way. Vote every single one of them out in a massive wave, and replace them with real immigration hawks. Anything less, and they’ll never take us seriously,&#8221; Bovino wrote on X Tuesday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump tells me he doesn&#8217;t know about Securing Agriculture&#8217;s Workforce Act of 2026, a bill that would allow illegals in farming, meat packing and lodging industries to gain legal status.
He says he will look into it. <a href="https://t.co/VJNiIujIhy">pic.twitter.com/VJNiIujIhy</a>
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) <a href="https://x.com/reaganreese_/status/2079595048665026660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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When asked about the bill Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he &#8220;didn&#8217;t know about it,&#8221; but would &#8220;take a look at it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I will fight AGAINST any amnesty proposal in Congress.
Illegal aliens BROKE our laws, and they MUST go home.
AMNESTY is betraying the trust of the American people. <a href="https://t.co/aJJwwD4h6U">pic.twitter.com/aJJwwD4h6U</a>
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) <a href="https://x.com/RepOgles/status/2080007704966209633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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In a recent Newsmax appearance, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) came out in opposition to the bill, saying it provides illegal immigrants with a &#8220;pathway to citizenship&#8221; without offering &#8220;comprehensive reform.&#8221;
&#8220;So we have a lot of work to do on immigration. Look, we know the immigration system is broken, that&#8217;s why I carry most of the legislation on immigration, fixing immigration. But as we have this conversation, there can be no amnesty as part of that conversation,&#8221; Ogles said.
&#8220;Look, if you want to get a work visa, that&#8217;s one thing, but you also have to understand that if you want to become a citizen, you need to go back to your country, and you need to apply the right way and you need to stand in line like everyone else,&#8221; he added.
Jeremy Beck, co-President of NumbersUSA, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/no-amnesty-calls-grow-over-bill-to-aid-immigrant-farm-workers-12223448">told</a> Newsweek that the bill is &#8220;an amnesty for employers engaged in illegal hiring,&#8221; adding that &#8220;It allows hundreds of thousands of illegal workers to stay as long as they indenture themselves to the agricultural industry.&#8221;
&#8220;Then the bill lowers workers&#8217; wages and deducts the cost of housing from their paychecks,&#8221; Beck said.
&#8220;No amnesty!&#8221; Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said in response to the bill. &#8220;Amnesty is NOT what people voted for in 2024!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
No amnesty. <a href="https://t.co/rgghloBMux">https://t.co/rgghloBMux</a> <a href="https://t.co/wHEjV8s3fu">pic.twitter.com/wHEjV8s3fu</a>
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) <a href="https://x.com/freedomcaucus/status/2079297177097027977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The bill would meet the demands of farm industry giants, including by allowing farms to employ H-2A migrant farmworkers for year-round labor, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/22/no-amnesty-migrant-farmworker-bill-opens-major-rift-within-gop-01007072" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Politico.
“[The bill] does acknowledge that dairy farmers have never had a workable ag-labor visa program, and it provides a short-term mechanism that will avoid massive disruptions to its workforce, which would in turn devastate family farms, create supply chain disruptions, and increase consumer costs,” Gregg Doud, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, said in a statement.
John Hollay, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers, said the bill “follows through on President Trump’s promise from last Spring to protect American agriculture and seeks to codify a system that will ensure all of agriculture has access to a legal workforce when Americans won’t do the job,&#8221; according to Politico.
Thompson argues that the bill is needed to address a years-long farm &#8220;labor crisis.&#8221;
&#8220;They can&#8217;t get the help they need to harvest their crops and astronomical labor costs have pushed many lifelong farmers to the brink of bankruptcy,&#8221; Thompson <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/872828202078448">said</a>.
&#8220;This is happening because the very program that once kept farmers in business is sinking under the weight of bureaucratic costs. Without reform, the H-2A visa program may now be the reason these same farms cannot be passed on to the next generation,&#8221; he said.

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