Kirby Wilson

Former U.S. Rep. David Jolly speaks to audience members during a town hall on immigration at The Cuban Club on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Tampa. Jolly, a Democrat, has held more than 100 events around Florida during his gubernatorial campaign, his team says. But he's struggled to raise money in Republican-dominated Florida. (Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

David Jolly has little cash in his run for governor. He’s not worried.

November 3, 2025 at 11:24 a.m.

On paper at least, David Jolly’s campaign for governor does not look ready to slay Florida’s Republican giants. His team says he’s working hard on fundraising and his numbers are...

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., speaks on stage during the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on July 11, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

Which 2026 Florida candidates are raising the most money?

October 13, 2025 at 9:21 a.m.

With every campaign finance report, the 2026 midterm field comes into clearer focus. More than a year from the general election, candidates up and down the ballot are already raising...

Charlie Kirk speaks onstage at the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on July 11, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. Following his assassination this month, Florida officials have cracked down on speech. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

How Florida officials are cracking down on speech around Charlie Kirk

September 22, 2025 at 10:13 a.m.

In the days since Charlie Kirk’s assassination, conservative Florida officials have sought to crack down on speech they describe as celebrating or glorifying the violence.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo says he does not want mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to be available in Florida. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

Florida surgeon general says his ‘goal’ is to ban mRNA COVID vaccine

September 15, 2025 at 5:25 p.m.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo says he does not want mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to be available in Florida.

At a July roundtable in Tampa, Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, left, speaks, while Gov. Ron DeSantis listens. The state's DOGE team, steered by DeSantis, Ingoglia and others, has inspected local governments across Florida. (Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

DeSantis’ Florida DOGE effort, explained

September 13, 2025 at 7:00 a.m.

Local governments across Florida find themselves in the path of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ latest crusade: the Florida DOGE effort. Here’s a quick primer to get you caught up.

Byron Donalds speaks on stage during day one of the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit on Friday, July 11 in Tampa.

Byron Donalds is Trump’s pick to lead Florida. Is he a good choice?

August 15, 2025 at 5:22 p.m.

If Donalds is successful, the man who now represents Collier and Lee counties in Congress could become the first Black conservative governor in U.S. history.

Josh Weil talks to a group of supporters during a Get Out the Vote event in Ocala, Monday, March 31, 2025. Weil withdrew Thursday from an announced U.S. Senate bid, citing illness. (AP Photo/Stephany Matat)

A Florida Democrat running for U.S. Senate dropped out. Here’s why.

July 31, 2025 at 1:41 p.m.

Josh Weil, a teacher who planned to challenge Ashley Moody for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat in 2026, is dropping out of the race.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson speaks during the Governor’s Day Luncheon at Florida State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Tampa. (Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

Who’s running for Florida governor in 2026? We check in on the race

June 24, 2025 at 12:53 p.m.

In January, when we ran through the list of potential contenders in the 2026 Florida governor's race, some major figures were still keeping quiet. Six months later, the race has...

Trump fired thousands of Social Security workers. Here’s how it affects Florida.

March 13, 2025 at 5:28 p.m.

The Social Security Administration is among the federal agencies being targeted to cut down the size of the federal workforce. Advocates and attorneys say they worry President Donald Trump’s cuts will...

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., arrives before President Donald Trump speaks during a ceremony with the Florida Panthers NHL hockey team to celebrate their 2024 Stanley Cup victory in the East Room of the the White House, Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

DeSantis warns Byron Donalds about missing votes in Congress. He missed plenty in 2018.

March 6, 2025 at 2:03 p.m.

It’s not hard to find parallels between Donald Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a certain stage in their careers. Both Donalds and DeSantis are Donald Trump Florida...

All Stories