Florida’s 7th Congressional District House Race 2026

Election officials in several Florida counties, including Seminole, Broward, and Monroe, are investigating delays in vote-by-mail ballots moving through the U.S. Postal Service. Seminole County has issued more than 500 replacement ballots, with one local delivery taking seven days; a Broward official's son waited 12 days for a ballot sent from Orlando. USPS says it has found no delivery issues in Broward or Monroe. Central Florida counties outside Seminole report no similar problems. With Florida's 7 p.m. Nov. 3 return deadline approaching, officials are urging voters who haven't mailed ballots to instead vote early in person or drop ballots at secure intake stations.

Orange County, Florida commissioners voted 6-1 to approve a roughly $9 billion budget prioritizing public safety, affordable housing and homelessness services, even as county leaders warn that a statewide ballot measure could upend future budgets. Amendment 3, which would increase the homestead exemption for non-school property taxes, could cut $275 million from county revenue by 2028, officials say. Mayor Jerry Demings noted the measure lacks a public safety exemption, meaning optional services like social programs would likely face cuts first if it passes in November.

Other Central Florida law enforcement leaders share the concern: Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood says his agency could lose $37 million next year alone, while Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma has warned of a 20 percent budget cut leading to layoffs and hundreds fewer patrol officers. Commissioner Mayra Uribe suggested the county should first seek internal efficiencies before residents feel the impact. The approved budget also includes $19.5 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, part of a goal to add or preserve 10,000 housing units by 2028.

Early voting opens in Harris County, Texas, running through Oct. 30, with several closely watched local races on the ballot. Voters will choose a new county judge for the first time since 2018, with Democrat Letitia Plummer facing Republican Orlando Sanchez to succeed the retiring Lina Hidalgo; a recent University of Houston poll showed Plummer with a narrow lead. Commissioner races are also on the ballot in Precincts 2 and 4, pitting Democratic incumbents against Republican challengers. Redrawn congressional districts add further intrigue, with new matchups in Districts 9 and 18. Houston voters will additionally decide Proposition A on marijuana enforcement and no-knock warrants, while League City weighs license plate camera use and Cy-Fair ISD considers a bond package.

Florida's primaries produced a mixed picture for both parties ahead of November's general election. Rep. Byron Donalds won the Republican gubernatorial nomination with Trump's endorsement and a large financial edge, beating Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, former House Speaker Paul Renner and newcomer James Fishback despite Gov. Ron DeSantis's public misgivings; Donalds would become Florida's first Black governor if elected. Former Republican congressman David Jolly, running with Gwen Graham as his lieutenant governor pick, won the Democratic nomination over state Rep. Dotie Joseph and others, pitching himself as a centrist who wants to end the culture wars. The two will meet in November to succeed the term-limited DeSantis, in a state where Democrats haven't won the governorship in over 30 years.

Progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon defeated establishment-backed Alex Vindman for the Senate Democratic nomination despite being outspent; she faces Republican Sen. Ashley Moody, who won her primary with Trump's backing, in the special election for Marco Rubio's former seat. Incumbents Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Jared Moskowitz turned back challengers, including Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, in redrawn districts under Florida's new Republican-favored congressional map. Trump-endorsed Cory Mills lost his House primary amid domestic violence allegations, while far-right figures Dan Bilzerian and Madison Cawthorn were also defeated, alongside Rep. Randy Fine's contentious win.

Alex Alvarado, a GOP operative implicated in Florida's 2020 "ghost candidate" scheme, is now sending text messages suggesting Democratic attorney general candidate Jose Javier Rodríguez won't "defend reproductive freedom." The texts, funded through a newly registered committee called Lower Our Costs Now, cite a 2015 abortion bill vote Rodríguez missed on the floor but later recorded a "no" vote on afterward. Rodríguez's campaign calls the ads misleading and notes his Planned Parenthood endorsement. Alvarado, an early donor to incumbent Attorney General James Uthmeier, was previously tied to 2020 efforts—some resulting in convictions—to siphon votes from Democrats using decoy independent candidates, including a scheme that helped defeat Rodríguez's state Senate bid.

A 31-year-old Florida man was arrested Tuesday after Volusia County deputies discovered his dog suffering from extreme neglect and starvation. The animal, named Tanner, was found covered in sores and infections, weak and in urgent need of medical care.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office said the dog was surrendered by its owner, Johnathan Meyers, and taken to an Animal Services shelter for emergency treatment. Investigators reviewed Tanner's veterinary records and determined Meyers had subjected the dog to a prolonged pattern of neglect. Meyers was charged with aggravated animal cruelty, resisting officers, and possession of drug paraphernalia after a meth pipe was found during his arrest. He denied the allegations of neglect while being detained.

Authorities said Tanner has since gained weight and shown improvement from his infections, with officials expecting a full recovery and eventual adoption placement.

The Volusia County School Board is voting on proposed changes to its Code of Student Conduct and Discipline for the upcoming school year, adding more specific consequences for vaping and reclassifying fighting offenses by severity. Under the new policy, a first vaping violation would require students to complete a district-approved vape education course, alongside possible in-school or out-of-school suspension. Students who fail to complete the course within 45 days, or who commit subsequent violations, would face 45 days in Alternative Education or Off-Campus Instruction; expulsion is not listed as a specific vaping consequence. The changes follow an 80% jump in vaping referrals from 2023 to 2024.

Fighting would be tiered by severity: minor altercations without injury are Level 2 offenses with escalating detention and suspension penalties, while fights requiring physical intervention or medical attention are Level 3, potentially leading to alternative placement or expulsion recommendations. Battery-level conduct is classified as Level 4, requiring an expulsion recommendation.

Volusia County authorities arrested Daytona Beach resident Allison Albro, 21, after she posted on social media that she was "going to the Trump rally in my city" to "shoot him with my glock." The post came ahead of President Donald Trump's Friday evening rally at the Ocean Center. Sheriff Mike Chitwood said Albro told investigators and the U.S. Secret Service the post was a joke and that she had no access to a firearm. She faces charges of written threats to kill and unlawful use of a communications device. Officials said local, state and federal agencies are coordinating security for the visit.

An HVAC technician in Seminole County, Florida, has been arrested after a home security camera captured him kicking a customer's dog. Sanford Police say Richardson Noel, 43, was servicing a customer's home when the small dog barked at him. Noel allegedly closed a sliding door and kicked the dog, leaving it unconscious.

The incident was recorded by a Furbo, a pet camera and treat dispenser with motion-activated video. The dog's owner discovered the footage and alerted police, who arrested Noel on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty. Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith called the footage "difficult to watch," noting Noel violated the trust placed in service workers entering customers' homes. Police say the dog survived and has received medical treatment. Investigators are asking anyone with additional information to contact Sanford Police or Crimeline.