Florida’s Brightline trains could run from Miami to Tampa

Florida's Brightline trains could run from Miami to Tampa Brightline on Friday announced it is getting serious about a long-discussed Orlando-to-Tampa extension. Check out this story on USATODAY.com: https://usat.ly/2tmUiO9 Brightline president Mike Reininger introduces the first of five Brightline trains that will offer high-speed service between Miami and Orlando at the company's operations facility in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 11, 2017.

Gov. Scott: Privately built Orlando to Tampa high speed rail in works

Gov. Rick Scott , who rejected $2.4 billion in federal funding for a high-speed train from Orlando to Tampa as one of his first acts in office, revealed Friday that a similar but privately funded project is on the table. The Florida Department of Transportation received an unsolicited proposal in March from Brightline to lease right of way and build a high-speed rail line connecting Orlando and Tampa along Interstate 4. Brightline already is building a rail line from Miami to Orlando, with a terminus at Orlando International Airport.

Democratic Black Caucus of Florida endorses Mayor Gillum

He also mentioned his status as the 'only non-millionaire Democrat' in the primary and how it makes him more relatable to those casting ballots. "One of my opponents is 11,000 times wealthier than I am, but I think I am in good company," said Gillum.

Why Florida Democrats can’t count on the so-called ‘black vote’

Florida's midterm Senate election is a race to watch this November - and not just because it will be a tight match pitting a sitting governor, Republican Rick Scott, against a sitting senator, Democrat Bill Nelson. But my research on minority politics in the South shows that it is time to re-examine old assumptions about Florida's so-called "black vote."

Florida is ‘ground zero’ to win House, Democratic chair Tom Perez says

Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, second from right, holds a roundtable with Democratic officials including U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, right, and Florida Democratic Chair Terrie Rizzo, third from right, at the Carpenters' union building in Orlando, May 30, 2018 Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, second from right, holds a roundtable with Democratic officials including U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, right, and Florida Democratic Chair Terrie Rizzo, third from right, at the Carpenters' union building in Orlando, May 30, 2018 Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez heard impassioned pleas from party officials about issues ranging from housing to health care at a roundtable in Orlando on Wednesday.

Florida Democrats Holding “I Will Vote” Weekend of Action

With less than 100 days until the August 28th primary, Florida Democrats are coming together this Memorial Day weekend for an "I Will Vote" weekend of action, with U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and FDP hosting joint "Nelson's Neighbors" events across the state. The weekend of action marks a kick-off to a summer of activism, where Democrats are committed to registering thousands of Floridians to vote-by-mail, knocking on doors in all 67 counties, registering thousands of new voters and communicating in new ways about our candidates.

Controversial conservative from Ocala wants South Florida voters to dump Ted Deutch

Javier Manjarres is seeking the Republican nomination to run for Congress in Florida's 22nd District. Five Republicans - including a far-right, polarizing state lawmaker - from conservative parts of the state have a message for South Florida voters: get rid of U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch , the Democrat who represents most of Broward and southeastern Palm Beach counties.

Florida’s expensive race for governor highlights lax laws

In this April 6, 2018, file photo, Adam Putnam, Republican gubernatorial candidate makes a campaign stop at Kimmins Contracting in Tampa, Fla. Florida's wide-open race for governor won't be decided for another six months, but it's already triggered a wave of expensive television ad buys from groups taking advantage of gray areas in the state's campaign finance laws.

Florida congressional delegation gives thumbs-down to offshore drilling

Faced with cyber-security threats to their voting systems, Florida election supervisors say they want access to some of the federal election security money Congress approved for all 50 states nearly two months ago. But the state, which is supposed to receive $19 million, doesn't yet have the money, and election officials say they're growing impatient.

Must-do for Florida’s midterm candidates: A stop in Puerto Rico. Or three.

Holding political office in Florida increasingly requires trekking to Puerto Rico, the former home of a growing number of Florida residents. More than a million Puerto Ricans already lived in the state before the hurricane, and another 56,000 joined them in the first six months after Maria.

Prosecutor Will No Longer Request Bail for Small Crimes

A Florida prosecutor who got into a legal fight with the governor for her blanket refusal to seek the death penalty now says her office will no longer request monetary bail bonds for defendants accused of low-level crimes. Instead, prosecutors in the Orlando-area jurisdiction of State Attorney Aramis Ayala will recommend releasing defendants on their own recognizance for crimes involving possession of small amounts of cannabis, driving without a license, panhandling, disorderly conduct or loitering.

Place Your Bets: Donations give insights into Volusia, Flagler campaigns

What follows are observations on those three levels of 2018 campaigns after scrutinizing many of the key offices on the 2018 ballots in Volusia and Flagler counties. OVERVIEW: Three Republicans and three Democrats are running for in Florida's 6th congressional district to replace Ron DeSantis, who's running for governor.

Sen. Marco Rubio’s cozy relationship with Democratic Sen. Bill…

GOP Sen. Marco Rubio's cozy relationship with Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson may be issue in Nelson re-election campaign. Sen. Marco Rubio's cozy relationship with Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson could sway Nelson's re-election bid GOP Sen. Marco Rubio's cozy relationship with Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson may be issue in Nelson re-election campaign.

Florida Republicans may be forced to act on voting rights

Confronted with a federal judge's looming deadline, Florida Gov. Rick Scott called an extraordinary late-night meeting of top state officials Wednesday to decide what to do about the state's process for restoring voting rights to former prisoners. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker gave Florida until Thursday to create a new process after ruling in February that the state's system is unconstitutional and arbitrary, with decisions possibly swayed by politics and racial factors.

Embrace the democratization of Florida – no matter your party

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has made it clear: She and Gov. Rick Scott are willing to fight against the ruling that Florida's felon voting restoration system, which more or less amounts to a permanent revocation of voting for current and ex-felons, is unconstitutional as it violates the equal protection clause. Earlier this April, Bondi filed a motion requesting a stay against the order that the state of Florida has until April 26 to revamp its current ex-felon voting restoration system.

Beyonce captivates the crowd in PVC bodysuit for her second electric Coachella performance

Florida judge, 59, resigns after she was recorded furiously berating asthmatic, wheelchair-bound defendant in court who DIED three days later after struggling to get her medication while in custody 'You are delicious': The Sixth Sense actress reveals how Smallville star Allison Mack 'tried to recruit her into cult which forced women to have sex with its leader and branded them with his initials' Embarrassment for Mitt Romney as he fails to secure Utah GOP nomination and will now head to a primary in June The diet that helped millions lose weight easily AND quickly: Dr Michael Mosley makes his 5:2 plan even better so you shape up for summer Florida county commissioner 'kept a stripper as a sex slave and paid her and her husband $300-a-week to sleep with him whenever he demanded' 'He broke the law!' Trump insists that James Comey leaked classified information in memos about their meetings ... (more)

Barbara Bush remembered as family’s ‘enforcer’

Barbara Bush has been remembered as the "first lady of the greatest generation" at her funeral, which was attended by four former US presidents and hundreds of other people who filled the church with laughter as much as tears, with many recalling her quick wit and devotion to family. Former Florida governor Jeb Bush joked his mother - wife of the 41st US president and mother of the 43rd - called her style of mothering him and his siblings "a benevolent dictatorship - but honestly, it wasn't always benevolent".