Top Contenders for Trump’s Running Mate Audition on CPAC Main Stage

Kristi Noem

Most of the top contenders for former President Trump’s 2024 running mate are auditioning for the position and trying to distinguish themselves with keynote speeches at this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference. 

Trump confirmed this week that his shortlist for the GOP vice presidential nomination includes Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.

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DeSantis Calls for Constitutional Reforms to Address Spending, Border

DeSantis Speaking

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday that he is calling for constitutional reforms to hold leadership in Washington D.C. accountable for the crisis Americans face due to weak border policies and unchecked spending.

The second-term GOP governor and former presidential candidate is calling for a balanced federal budget, congressional term limits, laws being made equally applicable for citizens and members of Congress and line-item veto authority for the president.

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DeSantis Calls to Expel Ilhan Omar from Congress over Somalia Video

Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday called for the House to expel Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar over a footage of her speaking in Somali in which she allegedly promised to prioritize the interests of Mogadishu and backed the territorial aspirations of the Somali government.

“Expel from Congress, denaturalize and deport!” DeSantis posted on X, resharing the video footage. The original video was posted by the account of the Ambassador at Large of the Republic of Somaliland and included a translation of Omar’s remarks, the interpretation of which Omar has disputed.

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Trump Campaign Warns Rep. Bob Good ‘Won’t Be Electable’ After DeSantis Endorsement

Bob Good

A campaign manager for former President Donald Trump warned Representative Bob Good (VA-05) “won’t be electable” after the Virginia Republican broke with Trump and endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.

Chris LaCivita, who advised the former president’s campaign before his recent promotion to co-campaign manager, told Cardinal News on Wednesday, “Bob Good won’t be electable when we get done with him.”

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Iowa’s Republican Caucusgoers Set to Make Their Pick for 2024 Presidential Nominee

The Hawkeye state has held a caucus every four years since the 1970s and is one of only nine states that still implement the practice, according to WQUAD8, a local ACB News affiliate. Eligible voters who are registered with the party and over the age of 18 will meet at 7 p.m. Central Time on Jan. 15 in schools, churches and event centers across the state after weeks of aggressive campaigning by Republican candidates.

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People in Florida Will Soon Be Able to Buy Drugs from Canada

Pharmacist

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Florida’s request to import cheap prescription drugs from Canada on Friday.

Policymakers across the political spectrum have long sought to import drugs from Canada, where drug prices are lower, and Florida’s authorization makes it the first state to import drugs in bulk from America’s northern neighbor. Florida estimates that it may save as much as $150 million on drugs treating things like diabetes, hepatitis C and certain psychiatric conditions.

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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Confirms He Will Not Make Presidential Primary Endorsement as Republican Governors Association Chair

Bill Lee

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee (R) confirmed he will not endorse in the race to secure the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in a Thursday interview, insisting his new role as the chair of the Republican Governor’s Association (RGA) precludes him from weighing in on the race.

Asked if he intended to make an endorsement in the Republican presidential primary, Lee told German-owned Politico he has “an obligation not to endorse” due to his position as “chairman of the RGA.”

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Virginia Republicans in Rep. Bob Good’s District Prefer Trump Despite DeSantis Endorsement, Could Flip to John McGuire in 2024: Poll

A new poll conducted by Battleground Connect, provided to The Virginia Star by the congressional campaign of Delegate John McGuire (R-Goochland), indicates the majority of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District will support former President Donald Trump over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in March 2024, and may choose McGuire over Representative Bob Good (R-VA-05) when voters return to the polls in June.

The survey reported that 71 percent of Republicans in Virginia’s 5th district hold a favorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 15 percent who hold an unfavorable opinion. Just 43 percent of those respondents reported a favorable opinion of DeSantis, while 34 percent had no opinion.

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Florida’s DeSantis Signs Bills from Recently-Concluded Special Session

Ron DeSantis Signing Bill

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed all of the bills passed this week during the Florida Legislature’s special session.

The special session was called in response to several pressing issues, including communities in need of relief from recent Hurricane Idalia, increasing access to education funding for disabled children and violence that has erupted in the Middle East.

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Police Officers from Other States Flock to Florida for Bonus Program

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ police recruitment program, launched last year, has now drawn police officers from all 50 states and two U.S. territories to relocate to Florida.

Recruits have either moved to Florida or joined the profession since Florida launched its Law Enforcement Recruitment Bonus Program last year. This year, the legislature allocated additional funding to expand and continue the program.

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Florida Legislature Calls Special Session to Pass Additional Sanctions on Iran

The Florida Legislature has called a special legislative session to expand sanctions on Iran, express support for Israel and advance several legislative priorities.

Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner issued a joint proclamation on Friday outlining eight agenda items including prioritizing tax relief and other financial assistance related to damages resulting from Hurricane Idalia. Other items on the agenda include expanding funding for recovery efforts related to natural disasters and expanding school choice for students with special needs.

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Donald Trump Takes a Commanding Lead in Third-Quarter Fundraising for 2024 Presidential Candidates

Third-quarter fundraising numbers released Sunday provide a glimpse into the strengths of the 2024 Republican presidential campaigns as the primary season is fast approaching.

Former President Donald Trump out-raised the entire GOP primary field, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and conservative businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) third-quarter filings. Trump also enters the year’s final fundraising quarter with the most cash on hand, with South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott next in line, followed by DeSantis and Haley.

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Florida Brings Home Nearly 300 Americans Stranded in Israel

Within two days of announcing Florida would arrange transportation for Americans stranded in Israel and bring them to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed home nearly 300 Sunday night.

At the Tampa International Airport, DeSantis posted a video, stating, “We are having our first flight of people being rescued from Israel. [The plane] has landed, over 260 people that wanted to get back to the United States and couldn’t do it, there was a void of leadership. So, we stepped up and led. We’re happy to be able to deliver and ready to welcome them back to the United States of America.”

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Florida Moves to Fly Stranded Americans Out of Israel

After Hamas attacked Israel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the state would be advancing greater sanctions against Iran. He also declared a state of emergency and issued an executive order to activate the national and state guard and other agencies to help bring Americans home who are stranded in Israel. 

According to some news reports, there are roughly 20,000 Americans, including many, who are stranded in Israel. They are unable to get out because of commercial flight cancellations and other travel and logistics disruptions due to the ongoing war with Hamas. 

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Florida Supreme Court Ponders Definition of a Riot in 2021 State Law

The Florida Supreme Court is pondering the definition of a riot related to a law passed in 2021 designed to prevent violent protests like those seen in 2020 after the death of George Floyd.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil, Jacksonville/Duval County Sheriff Mike Williams, and Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony were named as defendants in the 2021 lawsuit filed by Dream Defenders and other social justice groups including Black Lives Matter.

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DeSantis Floats Pardons After Blasting Lengthy Sentences for Proud Boys

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida on Wednesday blasted the lengthy sentences given to Proud Boys members and said that he is considering pardons to “ensure that everyone’s treated equally.”

Multiple members of the group were sentenced to prison terms of up to 22 years over their involvement in Jan. 6. DeSantis noted that similar sentences were not imposed over the riots that followed the death of George Floyd in May 2020, which resulted in at least 24 people being killed and caused nearly $1 billion in property damage.

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Florida Continues Hurricane Idalia Recovery Efforts

Florida state officials say more than 476,000 electric customers have had their power restored 48 hours after Hurricane Idalia made landfall.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a news briefing on Thursday that there were 91,000 customers in Taylor, Madison, Lafayette, Hamilton, Suwannee, Dixie and Jefferson counties that awaited  restoration after Idalia made landfall on Wednesday in the Big Bend as a Category 3 storm.

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It’s Official: Trump Says He Will Skip GOP Primary Debates amid Massive Polling Lead

Former President Donald Trump on Sunday said he is not going to participate in the 2024 Republican presidential primary debates after a new poll showed that he is far ahead of all other GOP candidates.

With the first GOP debate scheduled for Wednesday in Wisconsin, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “New CBS POLL, just out, has me leading the field by ‘legendary’ numbers. TRUMP 62 percent, 46 Points above DeSanctimonious (who is crashing like an ailing bird!).”

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DeSantis Calls Out Biden For Ignoring His Own Granddaughter While Opposing Parental Rights

Presidential candidate and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called out President Joe Biden for opposing efforts to protect parental rights while ignoring his own granddaughter on Saturday at the Iowa State Fair.

DeSantis slammed Democrats for seeing parents as a roadblock to “indoctrination” in the school system during his Fair-Side Chat in Iowa, making a jab at Biden for taking “four and a half years to acknowledge” his granddaughter, Navy Joan Roberts. Biden opposed Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” bill, which bars discussions of gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through third grade or “in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards,” when DeSantis signed it into law in March 2022.

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Brewer’s Winners and Losers: ‘It Almost Looks Like Working for Governor DeSantis Might Be Difficult’

Political watcher and recovering journalist Clint Brewer joined host Michael Patrick Leahy in-studio on Thursday’ episode of The Tennessee Star Report to discuss this week’s ‘Winners and Losers.’ Topping the ‘Winners’ list was Metro Councilman Freddie O’Connell while 2024 presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis was tapped for top spot on the ‘Losers’ list.  TRANSCRIPT Michael Patrick Leahy: Well, Clint, who do we have as a winner this week? Clint Brewer: Well, it’s obvious – we’ve already talked about him. Councilman Fred O’Connell. Michael Patrick Leahy: Obvious. Clint Brewer:  Obvious. Michael Patrick Leahy: 27 percent finished – first place. Clint Brewer:  Yeah. Michael Patrick Leahy: Odds-on favorite, probably, to win and become the next man Clint Brewer:  Yeah – based on reliable polling going into the contest with a pretty commanding lead. Michael Patrick Leahy: Although I’ll have to say Alice Rolli ran a very good campaign and look: if she can turn out people that didn’t vote before, she’s got a shot. Clint Brewer: Yeah; Or, she can put this in her back pocket if she loses, and maybe she runs for something else. Michael Patrick Leahy: Maybe. Clint Brewer: Maybe. You never know. Michael Patrick Leahy: You never know.…

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DeSantis Donor Says He May Pull the Plug on Supporting Campaign

The largest individual donor to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign effort has said he will stop donating to DeSantis unless changes are made to the campaign, according to a report by Reuters.

Robert Bigelow, a multimillionaire and owner of the Budget Suites of America, has donated over $20 million to the Never Back Down PAC, the principal super PAC supporting DeSantis’ campaign — accounting for two-thirds of the PAC’s fundraising in the first half of 2023. On Friday, Bigelow said that he would stop funding DeSantis’ campaign until it exhibited a more moderate policy platform, according to comments made to Reuters.

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Commentary: ‘Vivek on Track to Eclipse DeSantis,’ Donor Memo Admits

An internal memo circulated by the Vivek Ramaswamy campaign, and obtained by RealClearPolitics, outlines his pitch to donors ahead of the first GOP primary debate: The 37-year-old first-time candidate is surging as others stumble, going farther with fewer resources, and will soon “eclipse DeSantis.”

Until recently, those claims could be dismissed as so much bravado from an overeager, unknown biotech investor without any political experience whatsoever.

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DeSantis Campaign Memo Reveals New Strategy to Catch Donald Trump

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign has a new strategy to bolster the governor’s movement in the 2024 GOP primaries and catch up to former President Donald Trump, according to a July 6 campaign memo obtained by NBC News.

Trump continues to lead DeSantis in both state and national polls, and the campaign memo labeled “Confidential Friends and Family Update” details the governor’s plans to shore up support in key early primary states, insisting a large swath of the electorate is still up for grabs. As DeSantis remains particularly focused on New Hampshire, the campaign intends to delay efforts in Super Tuesday states to the fall.

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Florida AG Moody Calls on Zuckerberg to Respond to ‘Stunning’ Number of Human Trafficking Cases on Meta Platforms

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on Monday called on Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to appear before the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking to account for how Meta is being used to facilitate human trafficking and sex exploitation.

Moody did so while announcing what she described as the “stunning” and “disturbing” findings of a statewide investigation that found that Meta platforms are being used more than any other social media platforms by human traffickers to commit crimes.

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Gov. Ron DeSantis Will Be Keynote Speaker at TN GOP Statesman’s Dinner

Despite the fact that nearly all elected Republicans who hold federal office in Tennessee have endorsed former President Donald Trump in his 2024 reelection bid, the Tennessee Republican Party (TNGOP) has invited Trump’s main primary opponent to speak at its annual Statesman’s Dinner. 

The dinner, which will be held at the end of July, will feature Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) as the keynote speaker, according to a video posted by the TNGOP on its website. 

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Court Strikes Down Florida Law Barring Non-Citizens from Collecting Voter Registration Forms

A U.S. District court judge has blocked a Florida election law that criminalized noncitizens from collecting voter registration forms, a statute some say was aimed at Hispanic migrants and asylum seekers.

The law, which was overruled last week would have gone into effect this month, resulting in fines for as much as $50,000 against non-citizens “collecting or handling” voter registration forms.

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Angel Mom, a Newly Elected State Lawmaker, Joins DeSantis in Fight for Border Security

Angel Mom Kiyan Michael, a Republican state representative from Jacksonville, Florida, has come full circle from running for office, endorsing Gov. Ron DeSantis for governor, getting elected, and now endorsing him for president. She celebrated her bittersweet victory and legislative accomplishments this year, joining DeSantis last week in Eagle Pass, Texas, as he unveiled his plan “to stop the invasion at the southern border.”

Angel parents are those whose children are killed by foreign nationals who’ve illegally entered the country.

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DeSantis Lays Out Border Security Plan at Event in Eagle Pass, Texas

In a campaign stop in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis presented his border security plan as part of his platform to win the Republican nomination for president.

The plan includes reinstating several policies implemented by the Trump administration, including ending catch and release, reinstating the Remain in Mexico policy, among others. His plan also includes using the U.S. military to work with Border Patrol agents “on day one, and they’ll continue to help until the [border] wall is finished,” according to a campaign document obtained by The Center Square.

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Trump Says Liberals Are ‘Waging War on Faith and Freedom’ as 2024 Hopefuls Woo Evangelicals

The annual Faith and Freedom forum – considered the country’s largest public policy gathering of Christian conservative activists – concluded Saturday evening with a keynote speech from front-running GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump in which he spoke passionately to a key part of a coalition he must rebuild to win the GOP nomination.

But Trump, like the other top-tier 2024 GOP presidential candidates who spoke during the three-day event in Washington, D.C., faces a long road to Election Day in which the nominee will also have to win over independents, the undecideds and other voters for Republicans to retake the White House.

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom Claims Florida Gov. DeSantis ‘Weaponized’ Issue of Men Competing in Women’s Sports

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom of California claimed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida was among those who “weaponized” the issue of men competing in women’s sports.

“I think the trans issue has — has come on as a more divisive issue in the context, particularly of sports, where it’s also been weaponized, and issues around pronouns,” Newsom said during a Wednesday interview with Fox 11 reporter Elex Michaelson. “I remember the first time I was on Zoom, and all of a sudden I saw these different pronouns. And that even took me, I was like, ‘What’s this?’ I didn’t fully understand that.”

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Loyola Marymount President Blasts DeSantis in Op-Ed, Praises Woke Students for ‘Indoctrinating Us’

Loyola Marymount University President Timothy Law Snyder recently wrote an op-ed for the Miami Herald arguing Ron DeSantis is on the losing end of the woke battle in education since most students today are already socially liberal by the time they enter college.

Snyder suggests that DeSantis is out of touch with undergraduates, stating, “Has DeSantis met the college students of the year 2023? If he has, he has somehow missed entirely their makeup and conviction.”

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Actress Compares Ron DeSantis to KKK ‘Grand Wizard’ During Tony Award Speech

Actress Denée Benton directly compared Republican Florida Governor and 2024 presidential candidate Ron DeSantis to the “Grand Wizard” of the Denée Benton (KKK) in a speech delivered Sunday night at the 2023 Tony Awards show.

Benton made reference to “the current Grand Wizard — I’m sorry, excuse me — governor of my home state of Florida” at the Tony Awards, an annual ceremony for Broadway plays and musicals. Her equation of the conservative governor to the national leader of the KKK received applause from the New York City audience.

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Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Endorses Ron DeSantis for President

Oklahoma’s Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the Republican presidential nomination on Saturday.

The two-term governor threw his support behind DeSantis during a speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following the endorsement from 20 of the state’s legislators and former Oklahoma Congressman and Trump-appointee Jim Bridenstine, according to a campaign press release. Stitt said he endorsed DeSantis because he’s a “strong conservative and principled leader.”

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DeSantis, Pence Stay in ‘Safe Lanes’ on Trump at Greensboro GOP Convention Appearance

Republican presidential rivals chose a safe lane while delivering keynote speeches at the annual North Carolina Republican Convention in Greensboro on Friday and Saturday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was clear in an analogy to reference former President Donald Trump and his legal troubles though he didn’t mention his name, and former Vice President Mike Pence urged patience and prayer.

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DeSantis to Visit Southern Border

Republican Florida Gov. and 2024 presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis will travel to the southern border Wednesday, his office said in a statement to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

DeSantis will meet with border sheriffs in Cochise County, Arizona, during the trip amid a surge in illegal immigration, according to DeSantis’ office. The trip follows the governor sending two planes of migrants to Sacramento, California, in recent days, the DCNF first reported Tuesday.

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California Accuses Florida of Shipping Migrants as Plane with More Arrives in Sacramento

Two privately chartered planes carrying Latin American migrants from New Mexico have arrived in Sacramento since Friday, and California officials are blaming Florida for flying migrants to the state’s capital. 

After the first plane arrived, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said Saturday that he met with the migrants and could confirm they possessed documents purporting to be from the Florida State government.

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Federal Judge Recuses Himself in Disney Lawsuit Against DeSantis

New details have emerged about the legal battle between the state of Florida and the Walt Disney Company after the presiding judge recused himself from the case.

U.S. Judge Allen Winsor (appointed by former President Donald Trump) will take over the case after U.S. Judge Mark Walker (a former President Barack Obama appointee) recused himself on Thursday. On Friday, Winsor issued an order setting a deadline for June 26 for the state of Florida to file a motion to dismiss the case and gave a deadline of July 26 for Disney to file a counter filing.

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