Florida’s new map set for midterms
Some Florida voters will be seeing new candidates on their ballot for Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. That’s thanks to the state’s recent mid-decade redistricting effort.
There are also several Congress members who will not be running for reelection, leaving their seats up for grabs.
Who is running and where? And how might Florida’s new congressional map change the balance of power on Capitol Hill?
Guests:
- Danny Rivero, investigative reporter for WLRN.
- Sam Stockbridge, government and politics reporter for Central Florida Public Media.
- Steve Newborn, politics and environment reporter for WUSF.
Property tax plan faces challenges
Florida voters will be asked to vote on a ballot initiative this November that, if passed, would increase the homestead tax exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in January. It would increase again the following year to $250,000.
This week, two Florida voters filed a lawsuit against the ballot referendum. They say that the ballot language is illegal and misleading.
There are also questions surrounding exactly how far the amendment goes to eliminate all property taxes and how much might it cost local governments.
Guests:
- Jamie Cole, attorney based in Broward County.
- Douglas Soule, ‘Your Florida’ state government team reporter.
Remembering Pulse and other news
This week marks 10 years since what many consider Orlando’s darkest day and the second deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. We hear from the mother of one of the victims as well as other members of the local community.
Health experts are warning beachgoers of an unseen threat: Vibrio vulnificus. It’s a flesh-eating bacteria found in coastal waters in the Gulf and sometimes in the Atlantic. It can infect people by consuming raw shellfish such as oysters or through open wounds.
Florida officials are also ramping up protocols to prevent the spread of the New World Screwworm after recent detections in Texas and New Mexico.