Byron Donalds

A Democratic-backed super PAC has poured $2 million into ads attacking Florida Sen. Ashley Moody over her record on releasing Jeffrey Epstein's files, featuring survivor Marina Lacerda questioning Moody's priorities. The ad notes Moody joined other Republicans in blocking a September 2025 measure tied to the defense budget, but omits that the Senate later approved a standalone release bill by unanimous consent. The National Republican Senatorial Committee called the ads false and misleading, saying Moody ultimately supported transparency legislation. Epstein-related ads have run in 63 congressional races nationally, totaling $76 million.

With Election Day days away, Moody faces Democratic state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist who accuses Moody of refusing to debate and of involvement in misappropriating $10 million in Medicaid funds, which Moody denies. Moody has campaigned with gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, branding Nixon a communist, a label Nixon rejects.

With one week until Election Day, Republican Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly are campaigning across Florida to close out the governor's race. Donalds, touring by bus, cast Jolly as inconsistent and pledged cost-cutting measures and government transparency. Jolly, framing his campaign around change, argued a Democratic win would defy Florida's deep-red lean. A new University of North Florida poll shows a tightening race, with Donalds and Jolly close and a small share of voters undecided. Transgender athletes in women's sports has also emerged as a flashpoint, with Donalds' campaign highlighting past remarks by Jolly on the issue and attacking his position, while Jolly has called for leaving related decisions to courts and sports leagues.

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.

With early voting underway and the election a week out, Republican Rep. Byron Donalds and Democrat David Jolly have both campaigned across north Florida, including a joint appearance in Tallahassee and stops in GOP-heavy Panhandle cities like Pensacola and Panama City. The moves reflect a closer-than-usual race for Florida governor: Democrats are working to energize their base while Republicans hope to cut into traditionally Democratic areas. Donalds retains structural advantages, including stronger national party backing, a fundraising edge, and the benefit of running in a conservative-leaning state, but polling shows a tighter contest than Florida has seen in recent statewide elections.

Florida's agriculture commissioner race is heating up as incumbent Republican Wilton Simpson seeks a second term against Democratic challenger Joey Mendoza Atkins, a trial attorney. Simpson touts his record protecting farmland from development, upgrading wildfire-fighting equipment, and building a new headquarters projected to save taxpayers money long-term. Atkins is campaigning on affordability, pledging to close a tax loophole that lets developers claim agricultural exemptions, push for gas and diesel tax relief for farmers, and oppose data center expansion. The low-profile but consequential cabinet post oversees food safety, firearm licensing, and wildfire response. No public polling is yet available on the contest.

With under two weeks until Election Day, Florida has drawn heavy national attention, with surrogates from both parties campaigning across the state. President Trump is set to rally with Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, whose campaign faced scrutiny after briefly removing Trump references from its website, which Donalds called routine updates. Vice President JD Vance has framed the election as a choice between continuing current GOP policies or returning to Biden-era priorities. Democrats, hoping to flip seats, deployed Bernie Sanders for Senate candidate Angie Nixon against incumbent Ashley Moody, while Bill Clinton campaigned with gubernatorial candidate David Jolly. Competitive U.S. House races in Florida's 13th and 14th districts are also drawing close attention.

With Gov. Ron DeSantis term-limited, Florida's November 3 election will determine who succeeds First Lady Casey DeSantis, known for her cancer-prevention advocacy and the Hope Florida welfare initiative. Erika Donalds, wife of Republican nominee Byron Donalds, is a former Collier County school board member and founder of the Education Freedom Foundation, and says she would continue pushing for school choice. Laura Jolly, wife of Democratic nominee David Jolly, has not committed to specific duties given the couple's two young children but says she would lend her voice to issues benefiting Floridians. The race's outcome will shape both Florida's governorship and its next First Lady's priorities.