Florida
Harris boosts Democrats in Florida, but poll suggests larger electorate not won over yet
The survey of likely Florida voters from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab shows Donald Trump ahead of Harris by a robust 7-point margin, 49% to 42%.
Inside Florida Politics: Biden’s team says Florida isn’t in play
President Joe Biden’s campaign chair said recently that Florida isn’t a battleground state.
Vice President Kamala Harris may have energized Florida’s Democratic base, but a poll released Tuesday morning suggests her candidacy hasn’t yet changed voter preferences in the state.
The survey of likely Florida voters from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab shows Donald Trump ahead of Harris by a robust 7-point margin, 49% to 42%.
“It’s not a huge surprise to see Trump ahead in his home state of Florida, which he won by three points in 2020,” Michael Binder, a UNF political science professor and the polling lab’s director, said in a prepared statement. “With Harris just entering the race, enthusiasm amongst her supporters has livened up what was once thought to be an easy win for Trump in Florida.”
The poll is the first survey of the state electorate since President Joe Biden opted to not seek the party’s nomination in August at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In the past week or so, Harris has quickly moved to lock up Biden’s delegates and unite the party behind her, while reportedly raising more than $200 million.
Presidential campaign 2024: Harris volunteers pack Delray office to get out the vote for the VP
Florida Democrats insist they will put ‘Florida in play’
Her candidacy has unleashed a wave of enthusiasm, Florida Democrats say, that has led to more than 11,000 new volunteers to step forward to help the Harris campaign. This past weekend saw phone banks and other activities across the state marking 100 days of campaign blitzing until Nov. 5.
Congressman Maxwell Frost, an Orlando Democrat and member of Harris’ national advisory board, insisted it’s not “just a talking point” in claiming that Florida is “already a state that is in play.”
“Look, here in Florida, we saw unprecedented actions from volunteers from across the entire state, in blue counties and in red counties,” Frost said. “So much energy. People are excited to get out there and vote for the vice president to be the next President of the United States.”
Hurris surging: Kamala Harris campaign deployed 1,400 Florida volunteers during ‘Weekend of Action’
Frost said the campaign will stress that Floridians’ votes “matter” and will highlight a record including climate crisis measures and noteworthy strides in reducing Black and Latino unemployment while bolstering fortunes for minority businesses.
Congresswoman Lois Frankel of West Palm Beach said there’s been “an overwhelming groundswell of support” across the country, in Florida and in Palm Beach County, Trump’s home county.
Frankel noted that in the United States, one-third of women of reproductive age now live in states with abortion bans, including 4 million in Florida. She said the state’s new restrictions are leading to dangerous miscarriages and 68,000 forced pregnancies.
“Even his neighbors don’t want Donald Trump’s extreme Project 2025 agenda, and that includes a nationwide abortion ban,” she said.
“Listen, Floridians want the freedom to make their own health care decisions,” Frankel added, saying Harris would sign the Women’s Health Protection Act to secure access to legal abortions across the United States. “Women want to be in charge of when or whether to start or grow a family.”
UNF poll found closer U.S. Senate race, wide support for constitutional amendments
The poll, however, pointed to a much narrower gap between U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, who is seeking re-election, and one of his potential Democratic rivals, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. The GOP incumbent topped the former Democratic congresswoman from Miami by just 4 percentage points, 47% to 43%.
That lead was just inside the margin of error of 4.6 percentage points.
Two high-profile constitutional amendments on the November ballot appear to enjoy the electorate’s favor.
Some 64% said they were a “yes” vote on Amendment 3, which would legalize adult recreational marijuana use, with just 31% saying no. Support for Amendment 4 to protect access to abortions polled even higher — 69% saying yes to only 23% saying no.
Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
TAMPA, Fla – New SNAP restrictions will start Monday in Florida.
What we know:
These changes will ban the purchase of many sugary sodas, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed, shelf-stable prepared desserts.
Hunger Free America, an advocacy group, is against these restrictions.
Joel Berg, the CEO, said some regulation is a good thing, but he wants to see it support access to healthy foods as a choice.
“We do support mandates to mandate that healthier food is available in stores that do accept SNAP,” Berg said. “So, it makes a lot more sense to make it easier to get healthier food.”
Berg said these restrictions are unnecessary in achieving a healthier America.
“We should make America healthier again by making healthy food more affordable, convenient and physically available,” Berg said. “We shouldn’t micromanage the eating patterns of adults to try to achieve that goal.”
The other side:
This is part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said, “Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic disease epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.”
What they’re saying:
Berg said that these changes, on top of cuts to the program nationwide, will increase hunger.
“It’s not that low-income Americans don’t want healthier food; it’s that they can’t afford healthier food,” Berg said.
This coincides with the announcement that there will be cuts to WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which supplies food to mothers and young children.
“President Trump’s budget just announced that he’s proposing taking away fruits and vegetables from the WIC program for pregnant women and children under five,” Berg said. “So, they’re taking away healthier food.”
The WIC cuts would take away $1.4 billion in fruit and vegetable benefits from 5.4 million people.
Big picture view:
The SNAP changes come as part of the MAHA movement and include more than 20 other states that will implement changes over the next two years.
The Source: Information in this story comes from WIC, SNAP and interviews done by Fox 13’s Danielle Zulkosky.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — The engines are revving for one final day of high-stakes bidding and family fun at the South Florida Fairgrounds.
Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction reaches its grand finale today with an action-packed “Super Saturday” lineup, promising to close out the weekend with a full slate of collector car sales, live entertainment, and fan attractions.
“Super Saturday,” presented by Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, officially kicks off at 8 a.m. when gates, food courts, and the exhibitor marketplace open to the public.
What to expect
- 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: The Fantasy Bid presented by Dodge begins early, running in tandem with the automobilia auction in the arena.
- 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.: Thrill-seekers can catch Dodge thrill rides on the Barrett-Jackson Performance Track.
- 10:00 a.m.: New amenities open to the public, including the Stella Artois, Staging Lanes, and Food Court patios, which offer shaded seating and auction views.
- 10:45 a.m.: The national anthem will be performed in the auction arena, signaling the start of the main collector car auction at 11 a.m.
- Afternoon Entertainment: DJ sets run from noon to 5 p.m. across the various patios, and a detailing clinic by Adam’s Polishes is scheduled for 2 p.m. near the South Showcase.
For those unable to attend, the whole event will be livestreamed throughout the day on the Barrett-Jackson website and the HISTORY channel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Today’s finale comes on the heels of a high-energy Friday that saw significant sales and notable celebrity interest.
Star power was evident throughout the day, particularly with vehicles tied to the Busch family. A 1957 Ford Thunderbird Convertible owned by Samantha Busch and a 1969 Oldsmobile 442 Custom Coupe were among the day’s heavy hitters, each fetching $159,500. Kyle Busch’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air Custom Coupe also drew a strong bid, selling for $143,000.
Other Friday highlights included:
- 1968 Ford Mustang Eleanor Replica: $137,500
- 2004 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Mamba Edition: $132,000
- 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Custom SUV: $126,500
- 1957 Ford Thunderbird Custom Convertible: $121,000
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With a festival-style atmosphere and high-profile sales driving momentum, organizers expect a busy crowd for the final push at the auction block today.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — A quiet Monday turned into a frantic race against time when a deputy stepped in to save a choking 1-year-old’s life.
According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a 1-year-old baby choking. Upon arrival, the responding deputy performed life-saving procedures to help the child breathe again.
See also: Two arrested after 6-year-old arrives at Florida school with bruises, deputies say
Body camera video shows a deputy holding the baby, flipping it over on its stomach, and beginning to pat the baby’s back.
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When the baby begins to cry, the deputy is heard saying, “he’s good.”
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