Florida’s 15th Congressional District: Who Will Win the House Seat?

Palm Beach County Republican Party Chair Carl Cascio addressed the controversy surrounding Mike Caruso, who served about a year as Palm Beach County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller after being appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in August 2025, before being suspended amid child sex charges. Caruso's continued appearance on a voter guide following his arrest drew scrutiny, which Cascio discussed on WFLA's Battleground Florida podcast alongside broader Republican prospects in Florida's midterms.

The podcast also featured Rep. Darren Soto, who is seeking reelection in Florida's 9th Congressional District against Republican Dan Green, a Trump administration Department of Defense appointee whose campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Soto's district, redrawn mid-decade under DeSantis and the Republican legislature, now has more registered Republicans than Democrats. Also featured was Branden Scrivener, a No Party Affiliated, self-described progressive candidate challenging Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Democrat Kimberly Overman in District 12, as independent candidates seek traction in competitive races ahead of November.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida officials announced felony charges against 20 more people accused of illegal voting, bringing total arrests and prosecutions by the state Office of Election Crimes and Security to more than 100 since its creation four years ago. Attorney General James Uthmeier said 12 of the 20 had been arrested as of the announcement, with "dozens more investigations" ongoing. Most of those charged are not U.S. citizens; four others were convicted felons allegedly voting while still on probation. Florida's Amendment 4 restored voting rights to many felons in 2018, but requires completion of sentence terms and payment of fines before eligibility.

DeSantis also unveiled a new group, the Association of State and Local Election Officials, to be led by Secretary of State Cord Byrd, aimed at promoting "election integrity" nationally. Nearly 3,500 complaints were filed with the state office in 2025 alone. Earlier prosecutions from the office's initial 2022 roundup have faced legal setbacks, with several cases dismissed over jurisdiction disputes now pending before the Florida Supreme Court.

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.

Mike Beltran secured the Republican nomination for Florida's 14th Congressional District, defeating state Republican Kevin Steele and other primary contenders. Beltran, a former Florida House member, will now face longtime Democratic incumbent Kathy Castor in November's general election.

Beltran celebrated the primary win with supporters in Tampa, crediting a grassroots campaign and his record as a state representative for the victory. He said the campaign now shifts focus entirely to the general election matchup against Castor, a fixture in Hillsborough County's congressional delegation. The race adds another closely watched contest to Florida's House lineup as both parties look toward November, with control of individual seats carrying broader implications for the overall balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.

A ConsumerAffairs analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data ranks the Jacksonville metro area No. 2 among the 100 largest U.S. metros for property taxes rising faster than home values from 2022 to 2024. The typical homeowner's tax bill rose 21.7% while median home values increased 8.1%, a gap second only to Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida. Nationally, home values rose faster than taxes over the same period, though a five-year view shows Jacksonville home values up 63.1% since 2019, outpacing a 44.9% rise in taxes.

Florida's Amendment 3, needing 60% approval, would raise the non-school homestead exemption to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028 while cutting the non-homestead assessment-growth cap from 10% to 5%. Backed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, it has split Republicans and drawn opposition from police, firefighter, and county groups warning of billions in lost local revenue; proponents argue local governments can absorb cuts after years of rapid tax collection growth.

Florida sheriffs and firefighters have come out against Amendment 3, a ballot measure that would raise the homestead exemption and cut property tax bills on primary residences. At a Tampa news conference, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd and Florida Professional Firefighters President Wayne Bernoska, representing over 33,000 first responders, warned the measure would strip local governments of reliable funding for staffing, equipment and emergency response. Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia, who backs the amendment, argues local governments can cut spending elsewhere while preserving core services. Gov. Ron DeSantis supports the Republican-drafted measure, though a judge recently found its language does not protect core services, and Lt. Gov. Jay Collins says an implementation bill would be needed if it passes.

Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, which earned its Level 1 trauma center designation in June, treated 10 of the more than 40 people injured in Monday's deadly school bus crash in Polk County, Florida. Hospital officials say the recent upgrade meant pediatric patients could be treated locally rather than transferred across county lines to Tampa or Orlando, as would have previously been required for trauma patients under 16.

James Wright, the hospital's associate vice president for emergency services, said the facility regularly trains for mass casualty events and that having Level 1 capabilities — including trauma surgeons and operating rooms equipped for severe injuries — allowed staff to treat crash victims without the added stress of a long commute for families. As of the latest update, eight of the ten patients admitted after the crash have been treated and discharged, one remains in intensive care, and another is recovering in the pediatric ward. Officials noted that keeping patients near family can also support recovery.

Hillsborough County, Florida has declared a local state of emergency after locally acquired dengue fever cases climbed to 170, the highest total in the state. County Administrator Bonnie Wise signed the executive order, which took effect Thursday, Sept. 24, and lasts seven days unless rescinded or extended.

Statewide, Florida has recorded 190 dengue cases, a figure that does not yet include a newly confirmed case in Polk County. Hillsborough accounts for the overwhelming majority of infections and recently reported the region's first dengue-related death. The emergency declaration allows the county to pursue expanded mosquito control measures, including aerial treatments, and opens the door to potential federal reimbursement for related expenses. Officials are urging residents to sign up for notifications about treatment schedules in their neighborhoods and to use the county's online tracking resource. Health authorities continue to monitor the outbreak as case numbers rise across the region.

The Hillsborough County Commission voted 5-2 to approve an interlocal agreement placing the Tampa Sports Authority in charge of overseeing design work for the new Tampa Bay Rays ballpark. The TSA will review design documents, construction materials, schedules, and budgets as the county's representative during the design phase.

County attorneys said the design phase is expected to cost roughly $300,000 over the next few months, drawn initially from the general fund reserve, though costs tied to the owner's representative role will later be reimbursed through the overall project budget. Commissioner Harry Cohen called the move an opportunity to "value engineer" the project and find cost savings, while Commissioner Joshua Wostal opposed the agreement, warning it exposes taxpayers to risk before contracts with the Rays are finalized and urging the team to complete all agreements before further public funds are spent. The TSA's finance and executive committee and board are scheduled to meet in the coming weeks.

Animal welfare advocates in Hillsborough County, Florida, say they fear planned upgrades to the aging Pet Resource Center shelter will be shelved after the county's approval of a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium consumed a large share of community investment tax funds. The shelter, which advocates say suffers from flooding and lacks reliable heating and air conditioning, was previously slated for renovation or relocation under that tax funding.

Commissioner Joshua Wostal said roughly $570 million of a $600 million budget has already been earmarked for community facilities, including $360 million for the stadium, leaving about $30 million against an estimated $35 million shelter need. County administration disputes that funding has been cut, saying in a memo that the shelter project could still be financed through a bond issue or phased pay-go allocation. A Change.org petition backed by the Animal Advocates of Hillsborough County has drawn more than 5,200 signatures ahead of a county budget meeting this week.