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Uthmeier addresses firearm policy

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · 7d

Fla's new attorney general explains his decision to break with former AG Ashley Moody and not defend Fla gun laws ... which allowed open carry to become the law in the state ... More here ... www.politico.com/newsletters/...

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · 11d

POLITICO Pro: Florida gets more than $600M from FEMA for Alligator Alcatraz, other detention sites

A spokesperson for the Federal Emergency Management Agency confirmed Florida had received a “full reimbursement” of $608 million that it had sought to pay for the state’s immigration enforcement effor...

Trump-endorsed Donalds may soon have a new ‘26 rival: Florida’s LG

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · 25d

ICYMI ... www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

Jay Collins said that if he runs for governor, he would be willing to consider first lady Casey DeSantis — whom he called “brilliant” and “hard working” — as a possible running mate.

Explaining Florida’s red wave

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Sep 12

A new academic study on the "Free State of Florida" looked at the growing GOP edge in voter registration .. Researchers looked at voters aged 25 and up who moved in during the DeSantis years. They found a majority registered GOP ... More here ... www.politico.com/newsletters/...

Rep. Cory Mills faces ex-girlfriend in Florida hearing over restraining order request

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Sep 6

Earlier today there was a hearing in Lake City regarding Rep. Cory Mills www.politico.com/news/2025/09...

A Republican state committeewoman from Columbia County is seeking a restraining order against Mills, who has denied any wrongdoing.

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Sep 3

Fla @SenRickScott - former GOP gov - says the state doesn't need to wipe out its immunization requirements. "Florida already has a good system that allows families to opt out based on religious and personal beliefs, which balances our children's health and parents' rights."

Florida moves to scrap state school vaccine requirements

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Sep 3

ICYMI ...

Politico @politico.com · Sep 3

Florida now may scrap all vaccine and immunization requirements — most notably including those for students.

During the height of Covid-19, the state championed a “medical freedom” agenda that included scrapping mask mandates and prohibiting employers from requiring Covid-19 vaccines for employment.

Trump's Florida man for RNC chair officially takes the role

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Aug 22

Meanwhile in Atlanta www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

The elevation of the GOP state senator who once chaired the Republican Party of Florida was never in doubt after Trump hand-picked him for the job.

Mapping out the future of redistricting

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Aug 8

Helped with this morning's Fla Playbook ... www.politico.com/newsletters/...

Republicans quietly fret about ‘disturbing’ Cory Mills allegations

Reposted by Gary Fineout

Politico @politico.com · Aug 6

Rep. Cory Mills is facing accusations that he benefited from federal contracts while in office, assaulted a past girlfriend and threatened another ex with the release of nude videos.

So far, the allegations have not translated into any effort to sideline the two-term Florida Republican.

So long as national party operatives view the Florida lawmaker’s seat as safe, there is little incentive for GOP leaders to engage.

www.politico.com/news/2025/08...

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Aug 6

GOP Rep. Mills accused of threatening to release nude videos of ex-girlfriend

Lindsey Langston, winner of the 2024 Miss United States contest, filed a police report in Florida. Mills denied wrongdoing.

POLITICO Pro: Judge blocks Citizens from steering claims disputes away from court

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Aug 1

For your radar ... subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

DeSantis says a census redo could be in works amid state redistricting wars

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 30

Regarding DeSantis redistricting push www.politico.com/news/2025/07...

The Republican governor said the last U.S. census was "flawed" and a new one would benefit Florida.

POLITICO Pro: Federal judge in 'Alligator Alcatraz' lawsuit pushes back against state arguments for moving case

Reposted by Gary Fineout

Bruce Ritchie @brucebritchie.bsky.social · Jul 30

Federal judge in 'Alligator Alcatraz' lawsuit pushes back against state arguments for moving case.

subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

Judge Kathleen Williams didn't make a ruling on arguments about where the environmental lawsuit on the immigration detention center in the Everglades should be heard.

In boon for House GOP, Florida Supreme Court sides with DeSantis, upholds congressional map

Reposted by Gary Fineout

Politico @politico.com · Jul 17

The Florida Supreme Court upheld the state’s congressional map, delivering a win to DeSantis, who pushed through the changes that helped Republicans flip and maintain the House majority.

DeSantis, in a social media post, said that "this was always the constitutionally correct map — and now both the federal courts and the FL Supreme Court have upheld it."

New Trump-DeSantis proxy war launches over key Florida job

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Reposted by Gary Fineout

Politico @politico.com · Jul 16

DeSantis has appointed one of his loyalists to a Florida Cabinet position rather than select a Trump-endorsed candidate, lighting a fuse in the MAGA World.

The governor declined to pick a Trump ally for a Cabinet job in Florida, setting up a GOP primary showdown.

Blaise-ing into the CFO job

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 16

Fla. Gov. DeSantis today will appoint state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia to the post of chief financial officer ... the job has been vacant for months. DeSantis tapped a long-time ally instead of state Sen. Joe Gruters, who had already been endorsed by Trump www.politico.com/newsletters/...

He was DeSantis’ ‘bulldog.’ Will Trump help Florida’s attorney general stick around?

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 14

The Fla. Supreme Court has punted the lawsuit filed by state legislators over Alligator Alcatraz to a lower court. It says the "transfer of this case should be not construed as an adjudication or comment on the merits of the petition..." Legislators sued to gain access to the center

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 11

About Florida's new attorney general ... www.politico.com/news/2025/07...

James Uthmeier's path forward may hinge on whether he can turn accolades from Trump into an endorsement for 2026.

POLITICO Pro: Over 2,000 senior staff set to leave NASA under agency push

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 10

In a statement the lawmakers said the refusal to let them into facility "wasn't some bureaucratic misstep. It was a deliberate obstruction meant to hide what's really happening. There is no statute that permits the governor to overrule the Legislature's oversight authority."

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 10

5 Democratic state legislators filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court contending that Gov. DeSantis
& Fla. Division of Emergency Management exceeded their authority by blocking access to Alligator Alcatraz last week - They are being represented by 2 legislators/attorneys

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Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 9

More than 300 were working at Kennedy Space Center in Florida subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

The losses could endanger the administration’s plans for landing astronauts on the moon and Mars.

POLITICO Pro: Federal judge blocks parts of new Florida ballot initiative law

Gary Fineout @gfineout.bsky.social · Jul 9

Fla judge blocks part of new ballot initiatives law subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...

The judge, however, denied a request made by campaign groups to stop provisions with identification and registration requirements for volunteers.