After a stellar run at Memphis Mike Norvell has had a rollercoaster run in Tallahassee as the Florida State Seminoles head football coach. Norvell finished his four year stint at Memphis with a 38-15 record.
Florida
Abortion Bounties, Penalties on Women: Florida Kingmaker's Candidate Questionnaire
The influential Florida Family Policy Council, a fixture in Tallahassee since its founding in 2004, likes to claim credit for such political triumphs as the state law banning gay marriage, defunding Planned Parenthood, and forcing the state board of education to teach students evolution is merely a theory, not a fact.
The group’s annual gala has become a pitstop for Republican candidates seeking the organization’s favor — then-Gov. Jeb Bush was the keynote speaker in 2006; in 2023, it’s where Gov. Ron DeSantis made his last big appearance before announcing he was running for president — and in a state where redistricting has made general election seats less and less competitive, an endorsement from the group’s advocacy and lobbying arm, Florida Family Action, can help crown the Republican candidate in the primary.
That group is gearing up to endorse a new slate of favorites for state House and Senate this year, and is asking candidates seeking its backing to fill out a 44-question questionnaire — paperwork that often functions as a litmus test to determine whether a candidate shares the endorsing group’s values.
Florida Family Action’s 2024 survey, obtained by Rolling Stone, offers a glimpse of the future the influential lobbying group would like to see in the state. (Florida Family Action did not respond to requests for comment about the candidate survey.)
In addition to collecting standard information about the educational candidate’s background, military service, and other credentials, the questionnaire asks political hopefuls about additional restrictions they might seek to implement on abortion, which is currently banned in Florida after 6 weeks. The group asks if there ought to be penalties for women who seek abortion, and whether abortion should to be banned at fertilization; floats the idea of implementing a Texas-style abortion bounty law in Florida, discusses defunding government programs that offer access to contraceptives and birth control; and questions candidates about regulating in vitro fertilization, or IVF.
There are also questions about whether the state should ban the use of bathrooms and other facilities by trans people, whether “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” should be added to the state’s non-discrimination statute, whether the state has a role in “prohibiting or regulating certain sexual behaviors,” and whether certain drugs should be decriminalized or legalized. (Amendment 3, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in Florida, is slated to appear on the ballot this November.)
Question 18 of the survey asks: “Should the law ever penalize any woman who has an abortion?” Candidates may select among the options: “Yes,” “No,” and “Unsure;” there is also a space for comments.
For decades, even the more extreme anti-abortion groups opposed criminalizing or otherwise punishing women seeking an abortion, focusing their attention on penalizing abortion providers instead. But that has seemed to change since 2016, when presidential candidate Donald Trump insisted “there has to be some form of punishment” for a woman seeking an abortion. Trump later backed away from the statement, but since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, lawmakers in South Carolina and Alabama have considered imposing penalties — including the death penalty — on women seeking abortions.
Question 19 on the survey ponders the possibility of implementing an abortion bounty law in the state, much like S.B. 8, the Texas law that effectively shut down abortion access in the state nine months before Roe v. Wade was overturned. It allows individuals to sue, for monetary damages, anyone suspected of “aiding and abetting” an abortion. (The survey asks: “If state attorneys and law enforcement agencies in certain areas of Florida refuse to enforce state abortion laws against abortion providers, do you believe there should be a private enforcement mechanism, using lawsuits by private citizens and civil causes of action with monetary damages to enforce pro-life laws against abortion providers?”)
The questionnaire also asks, “Is it the proper role of government to fund contraceptives and forms of birth control?” and “Do you believe the state should regulate in vitro fertilization? Why or why not?” It also includes two questions about pornography — whether porn constitutes “protected speech under the first amendment and thus cannot be subjected to excessive governmental regulation,” and whether there ought to be fines levied or private lawsuits filed against “school districts that allow and use pornographic or sexually explicit materials in school instruction or in school libraries.”
In 2022, Florida Family Action threw its weight behind DeSantis, as well as Trump 2024 vice presidential shortlist contenders Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Byron Donalds, and 58 candidates for state House and Senate. This year, candidates likely to seek the group’s backing include Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna.
Read the full questionnaire:
1. What office are you running for (include district number)?
2. Please share your educational background, military service, and other credentials.
3. Who is your campaign manager and campaign consultant? Please include contact information.
4. What prompted you to run for elected office?
5. What are the top 3 priorities you would like to address if elected to office?
6. Which 3-5 current or former political leaders have influenced you the most?
7. Are you challenging an incumbent? If so, what motivated you to run against them?
8. Do you have a home church or place of worship? Please share the name and location and how long you have been attending.
9. How does your faith guide you? Does it influence you relating to legislation and public policy?
10. Do you believe the government should legislate morality? Please share why or why not.
11. What are the top three most complex problems the state government will face in the near future?
12. What is your view on the role of government in society?
13. How would you identify yourself politically? (Check all that apply. Add comment to define terms if desired.)
_ Libertarian _ Liberal _ Progressive _ Moderate _ Socialist _ Social Conservative _ Populist _ Fiscal Conservative _ Constitutionalist
14. Do you support AMENDMENT 4, enshrining abortion access as a constitutional right?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
15. When do you believe that human life begins?
_ Fertilization _ Heartbeat/6 weeks _ 12 weeks _ 15 weeks _ 24 weeks _ Birth
16. What is the earliest point that abortion should be limited by law?
_ Fertilization _ Heartbeat/6 weeks _ 12 weeks _ 15 weeks _ 24 weeks _ Birth _ Never
17. Based on your previous answer, what exceptions should be allowed under a general abortion ban? (Check all that apply.)
_ Rape _ Human Trafficking _ Fetal Disability _ Incest _ Mental health of the mother _ Threat to the mother’s life _ No Exceptions should be allowed
18. Should the law ever penalize any woman who has an abortion?
_ Yes _ No _ Unsure
Comments:
19. If state attorneys and law enforcement agencies in certain areas of Florida refuse to enforce state abortion laws against abortion providers, do you believe there should be a private enforcement mechanism, using lawsuits by private citizens and civil causes of action with monetary damages to enforce pro-life laws against abortion providers?
_ Yes _ No _ Unsure
Comments:
20. Is it the proper role of government to fund contraceptives and forms of birth control?
_ Yes _ No _ Unsure
Comments:
21. Do you believe the state should regulate in vitro fertilization? Why or why not?
22. Do you support the legalization of physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia in Florida?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
23. Do you support adding the categories ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ to our state’s non-discrimination statute?
24. Do you support AMENDMENT 3, enshrining recreational marijuana use and production in our state constitution?
25. Which of the following drugs do you support decriminalizing possession and legalize for recreational use in the state of Florida? (Check all that apply.)
_ Psychedelic magic mushrooms _ Marijuana _ Heroine (sic) _ Cocaine _ Methamphetamine _ None _ Other
26. Does the state have a role in prohibiting or regulating certain sexual behaviors? Please elaborate.
27. Do you support the legalization of prostitution in Florida?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
28. During the previous session, the Florida state legislature increased the minimum age from 18 to 21 for working in an adult entertainment establishment. (i.e., strip clubs). Do you support this policy? (Please feel free to elaborate on how you want the government to regulate adult entertainment facilities.)
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided.
Comments:
29. What are the main causes of the expansion of human trafficking in our state? How should the legislature address this?
30. Do you believe pornography is protected speech under the first amendment and thus cannot be subjected to excessive governmental regulation?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
31. In the situation where any government (state or local) or government supported entity has violated the constitutional rights of a citizen, and where jailtime is not warranted as a punishment for the government official, do you believe there should be recourses against such agencies? How would you address this as an elected official?
_ Fines and penalties by the state, prosecuted by the Attorney General or state attorneys
_ Private cause of action, prosecuted by private attorneys seeking financial damages for the victims
32. Do you believe gambling should be allowed to expand in the state of Florida?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
33. Would you support a law mandating that restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, spas, and other such facilities be sex-segregated for both privacy and public safety concerns? Why or why not?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
34. Do you believe that parental rights (that is the right of the parents to direct the upbringing of their own children, including but not limited to religious instruction, education choice, and medical care) are fundamental rights that the government should not infringe upon?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
35. Under what circumstances should the government have the right to limit a parent’s rights?
36. Do you believe that the case of a parent refusing to affirm and encourage the gender transition of their minor child should be counted as a case of abuse, abandonment, or neglect and potentially result in the removal of that child from the parents?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
37. Should the state government have a role in regulating social media corporations? If yes, in what ways?
38. Do you support HB1, passed in 2023, that expands taxpayer-funded school choice scholarships allowing Florida parents to use the funds to send their child to the school of their choice, including charter schools, private schools, religious schools, and homeschooling? In what ways should the program be either deregulated and expanded or restricted and more heavily regulated?
39. Do you support adding additional penalties either in the form of state fines or private legal action by parents, for school districts that allow and use pornographic or sexually explicit materials in school instruction or in school libraries?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
40. Do you believe that Social Emotional Learning (SEL) should be encouraged and used in Florida’s public schools?
_ Yes _ No _ Undecided
Comments:
41. Regarding vaccine or mask mandates in private corporations and businesses, which of the following best represents your position?
_ Such mandates in private businesses should be regulated or prohibited by the state.
_ Such mandates in private business are completely up to the company leadership.
Comments:
42. Are there any accusations, true or false, against you which could be an election issue that you would want us to be aware of?
43. In comparison to the other candidates in your primary, what distinguishes you from the other candidates?
44. Feel free to provide any other information that you would like to share.
At FSU Norvell started off slow winning only eight games in two years. Then the ‘Noles had an awakening and won 23 games from 2022-2023. And now that reality has come crashing back down with seven wins the past two seasons.
FSU will have 17 transfers in the 2-deep once again in 2026. It’s become a double-edged sword where he only way Norvell can keep his job (buyout be damned) after this year is to inject talent into the roster but he’s got a bad culture in the field house up at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Now let’s put the ‘Noles through The Goal, our 2026 Summer Scheming analysis system.
Acquisition: The ’Noles high school recruiting hasn’t been as ‘bad’ s advertised. FSU is 16th over the past three years in prep signings and 14th when it comes to the transfer portal for an average of 15th overall.
Development: Now this is the crazy part. Over the past couple of years the ‘Noles have only produced eight NFL players. Only eight have stuck it out from the 2025 and 2026 NFL Draft classes. Remember all of those drafts loaded with FSU talent like Jameis Winston and Jared Verse? Right now it’s Deuce Robinson and who else?
Deployment: This preseason Bill Connelly’s SP+ has FSU 35th in overall SP+. The Seminole offense is 45th, the defense 30th and the kicking game is 94th. So where as Mike Norvell has the 15th best players he’s producing the 35th best team. He’s revamped his coordinators once again sending Gus Malzahn off to the glue factory and promoting Tim Harris Jr to OC.
The bottleneck to success at FSU is the culture within the program. The Seminoles went hellbent on the transfer portal to improve from 5-7 to 10-3 and dipped their toe in again to move to 13-1. They were Jordan Travis’ leg away from competing for a national championship. But injuries do happen and losing your starting QB is a devastating one.
Mike Norvell has taken the Manny Diaz approach to the transfer portal and it’s killed any semblance of a culture that could possibly have been built in the FSU locker room AND he’s losing games.
The FSU strength of schedule is 45th of 138 in FBS per CFB News. Florida State faces SMU before an off week. Then they head to Tuscaloosa to play the Alabama Crimson Tide. After a cupcake, FSU hosts UVA before consecutive road trips to Louisville and Miami. The ‘Noles also face Clemson, Pitt and Florida over the back half of the schedule.
The inventory space includes returning production per Bill Connelly, the On3 top-100 list and the Athlon preseason All-Conference Team honorees. The ’Noles returning production is 48th in FBS at 57% production. FSU has two players on the On3 top-100 list in WR Deuce Robinson (74th) and DL Mandrell Desir (97th). The ‘Noles have one player on the Athlon All-ACC Team and that’s Robinson.
FSU hit the transfer portal for four of their five potential starting OL in ‘26. They also brought in QB Ashton Daniels (Auburn) and RB Quintrevion Wisner (Texas). Daniels is another FSU QB with a penchant for throwing interceptions.
Robinson averaged 19.3 yards per catch with six scores in 2025. Wisner adds over four yards per carry and three TD’s from his run at Texas. On defense M. Desir returns with 7.5 TFL’s and 6.5 sacks from a year ago.
Southern Miss transfer LB Chris Jones logged 9.5 TFL’s and 3.5 sacks a year ago. Another transfer, this one DB Nehemiah Chandler, picked up 13 PBU’s last season with two INT’s.
Mike Norvell is committing highway robbery with the past two seasons performances. After the 13-1 season and the Alabama opening with Nick Saban’s retirement, Norvell landed himself a nice raise up to $10.3M a season. The issue is they’ve only won six games per season under Norvell which adds up to $1.7M per win. That’s second to only Bill Belichick in the grand theft coaching category.
There is no chance the goal at FSU is anything short of eight wins. What a sad cry from only three seasons ago when the ‘Noles were potentially a national championship program. That’s the crux of the transfer portal, live by the transfer / die by the transfer.
Highly successful clubs have started to be extremely careful with who comes in and out of their program, think: Ohio State, Notre Dame, Indiana and even lately- Miami. The vetting process is pivotal for not bottlenecking your success by bringing in locker room cancers.
Season Prediction: I can see this winding up anywhere from 5-7 to 7-5. They’ve got the 2nd most players on the On3 top-11 than anyone else on Miami’s schedule (ND has five). They also have the 15th best grouping of talent in the country. And yet I just can’t see Daniels, four new OL, a new RB, and another dozen guys on defense gelling together under Mike Norvell and into some phoenix that rises from the ashes of the ACC cellar.
An Iranian-made drone displayed at the Biltmore Hotel served as a stark warning from national security advocates and South Florida officials who say Cuba’s growing military ties with Iran could pose a threat to the United States.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, chairman of the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, joined U.S. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Florida, to highlight concerns about what they say are roughly 300 Iranian drones that have been delivered to Cuba.
Standing alongside one of the drones, Bush described the weapon as among the deadliest battlefield threats faced by American forces in recent years.
“Most loss of life of the U.S. military than any single weapon that exists over the last 15 years,” Bush said.
Gimenez warned that the drones’ capabilities make them particularly concerning because of their ability to carry significant explosive payloads over long distances.
“This particular model, there is about over 100 pounds of explosives,” Gimenez said. “That’s a pretty big bang. That’s why they call them kamikaze drones — they crash into their target and they explode.”
According to Gimenez, the drones can reach speeds of about 115 miles per hour and travel more than 1,000 miles, placing South Florida well within range. He said the aircraft could also reach the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay and other cities throughout the southeastern United States, including Tallahassee and Atlanta.
The congressman said one of the primary concerns is the potential for Iran-style drone warfare tactics, in which large numbers of drones are launched simultaneously to overwhelm air defense systems.
While the United States has sophisticated defense systems capable of intercepting incoming drones, Gimenez noted that a successful strike may require only one, or a handful of aircraft to penetrate those defenses.
The event was organized by United Against Nuclear Iran, which has sought to draw attention to expanding military and strategic cooperation between Iran and countries aligned with its interests, including Cuba.
Supporters of the group’s effort say the growing presence of Iranian military technology in the Western Hemisphere warrants increased attention from policymakers and defense officials.
For South Florida residents, the warning underscores the region’s proximity to Cuba and the continuing role the island nation plays in broader geopolitical tensions involving the United States and its adversaries.
Body camera video shows a man fighting with Florida deputies who were trying to rescue him from a snake-and-alligator-infested canal, authorities said.
The incident happened July 3 when Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies found a man lying on the ground shirtless in front of an elementary school.
The man, 47-year-old Ryan McMinn, who had been then subject of a previous welfare check, fled on foot, the sheriff’s office said.
A short time later, authorities received a call about a man trying to climb on the side of a house in Palm Coast.
Deputies responded and found McMinn near the canal behind the house and when he spotted the deputies, McMinn ran into the canal and started swimming, authorities said.
“What’s your name?” a deputy asks him in the bodycam footage, as McMinn is seen swimming backwards. “You getting tired?”
Officials said McMinn was ordered to get out of the water multiple times but refused, and when he started to show signs of exhaustion, two deputies went into the canal to pull him out.
The video released by the sheriff’s office on Monday shows the deputies wading into the water before a struggle ensues.
Authorities said McMinn tried to grab one deputy’s head to push it under the water, before he tried to grab the neck of the other deputy.
The deputies were able to get control of McMinn and get him safely to shore.
He was hospitalized before he was arrested and booked into jail on two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer.
“Battering a Deputy Sheriff will guarantee you the loss of your freedom and a trip to jail,” Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly said. “These deputies went into the water to rescue this guy, and he responded by fighting them. I commend our deputies for their willingness to get in a canal that usually have snakes and gators and pull this guy to safety before he drowned.”
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