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As students protest Israel, has the Florida Democratic Party drifted to the right?

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As students protest Israel, has the Florida Democratic Party drifted to the right?


LAKE BUENA VISTA — Less than two weeks after the president promised to compete in Florida this year, the mood at the Florida Democratic Party’s annual leadership conference was festive — if a little tense.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has called some of the recent campus protests of Israel “antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous,” was slated to be the keynote speaker at the party’s Saturday evening gala. It was an explosive pick for party leadership at a time of bitter division over how to message around the ongoing war in Gaza.

Attendees at the Disney Contemporary Resort began to mutter about the choice. The Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida called on the party to cancel Fetterman’s appearance.

When the senator finally took the stage, a woman stood up from a nearby table and yelled repeatedly about the need to “free Palestine.” Fetterman, unable to proceed with his remarks, stood holding a Biden-Harris 2024 reelection sign while security and law enforcement escorted the woman out of the room.

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The tensions over Israel and Palestine highlighted how politics have shifted around Florida Democrats. As recently as 2018, the party nominated an outspoken progressive in Andrew Gillum to be its standard bearer in the governor’s race. In 2020, after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the party released a statement endorsing the nationwide protests against “racist violence.”

Since then, the party has hemorrhaged registered voters and legislative influence in Tallahassee. In 2022, the party nominated Charlie Crist, a former Republican, to be its gubernatorial candidate for the second time. He suffered a historic 19-point defeat to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

With a November election looming, Democrats are treading carefully when it comes to the progressive issue of the day: American support for Israel’s war on Hamas. Some of the state’s most prominent Democrats, including Florida Democratic Party chairperson Nikki Fried and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, are Jewish and staunch backers of Israel.

At the same time, Joe Biden is relying on an outpouring of support from young people in November — like he did in his 2020 victory over Donald Trump. While Florida Democrats work to turn out the vote on college campuses, protesters on some of those same campuses have taken to quads in recent days with chants of “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide. You’re supporting genocide.”

In a statement following the brief Saturday night protest, Fried seemed to acknowledge that the party has a balance to strike in 2024. She said Floridians should have a right to protest, and that college students should have a right to feel safe on campus.

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“If we are going to call for peace, let’s do it peacefully. If we are going to disagree, let’s do it respectfully,” Fried said. “If we are going to use our voices, let’s make sure we’re also listening — that’s what it means to be a Democrat and that is what this moment demands.”

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The Florida Democratic Party’s challenge extends up and down the ballot.

Former U.S. Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is perhaps the most prominent figure in a crowded Democratic U.S. Senate race. She was the only Senate candidate to speak at Saturday’s gala. If she can beat four opponents in August, she hopes to unseat U.S. Sen. Rick Scott.

Mucarsel-Powell is an example of how Democrats are getting pressure from the right on Israel as well. In campaign news releases, Scott has repeatedly criticized Mucarsel-Powell for not condemning the college protests strongly enough. On Saturday, Mucarsel-Powell told reporters she supports Israel’s right to defend itself and said civilian lives must be protected.

She also downplayed the divisions within the party.

“The Democratic Party has all sorts of shades. It’s always been like that,” Mucarsel-Powell said. “We need to respect each other. They want to divide us because they’re scared, because when we’re united, we win.”

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Other party observers pushed back on the idea that the Democratic Party has drifted from the left in recent years.

Anna Eskamani, one of the party’s most progressive state representatives, pointed toward the recent messaging on abortion rights. In the years before the Supreme Court overturned Roe. v. Wade, abortion was an issue that some Democrats avoided, Eskamani said. But this year, even moderate Democrats are campaigning on protecting abortion access.

Polls show both abortion and Israel-Palestine rate relatively low among voters’ priorities. It’s possible that these issues will do little to move the needle electorally. But they might show whether the party is singing from the same songbook.

On Saturday, hours before the gala, various Democratic groups set up tables promoting their corners of the party. Eventgoers could visit the Black caucus table or the Biden campaign’s space or chat up members of the environmental caucus or the LGBTQ+ caucus.

But when a reporter visited the Democratic Progressive Caucus’ table late in the afternoon, it was empty.

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Florida

South Florida spellers compete in Scripps National Spelling Bee

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South Florida spellers compete in Scripps National Spelling Bee


Two South Florida students have advanced to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

13-year-old Camila Sanchez Izquierdo and 11-year-old Jasmine Perez are both from Miami.

Camila advanced to round three on Tuesday, after spelling the words “au blue” and “harbinger” correctly.

When asked where her favorite place was, Camilas answered, “Barnes & Noble.”

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“I often find hidden gems there, and I love the atmosphere of the store,” said Camila.

Jasmine, now an inspiration to other spellers around the country for competing was asked where she gets her inspiration. She said from Gymnast Simone Biles.

“Everything she does is executed perfectly, and on the rare occasion she does something wrong, she gets right back up,” said Jasmine.

Jasmine made it until round one. She spelled the word “prêt-à-porter” incorrectly.

This year, 245 spellers from around the world have advanced to nationals and will compete in four segments, starting with the preliminaries.

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The competition, sponsored by the Miami Herald, will run through Thursday, May 30.

Last year’s winner, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, Dev Shah won $50,000.

Dev’s winning word was “psammophile.”

Copyright 2024 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.



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Telangana woman studying in US university killed by speeding car in Florida

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Telangana woman studying in US university killed by speeding car in Florida


A 25-year-old student from Telangana’s Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district was killed in a road accident in Florida, US.

Guntipalli Sowmya, who had completed her master’s from Florida Atlantic University, was hit by a speeding car while crossing the road on May 26.

She was killed on the spot.

Sowmya had been returning to her accommodation after buying groceries when the accident occurred.

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She went to the US two years ago to pursue her studies. After completing her master’s degree, she was trying to find a job, according to reports.

Sowmya, originally from Yadagaripalle village, Telangana, was actively seeking a job.

Her parents, Koteshwara Rao and Balamani, were devastated upon receiving the tragic news of their daughter’s death.

Sowmya’s family has appealed to the government for assistance in bringing her body back to Telangana.

Koteshwara Rao, a former CRPF jawan, shared that his daughter had recently celebrated her 25th birthday on May 11. “I even sent clothes for her,” he said, mourning her loss, according to TOI.

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Sowmya’s father struggled immensely to arrange the money for her studies, sacrificed a lot to ensure she had the opportunity to pursue her dreams, according to GoFundMe website.

Rao currently operates a general store (kirana shop) in Telangana.

Published By:

Girish Kumar Anshul

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May 28, 2024



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Map shows Florida cities break heat records amid surging temperatures

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Map shows Florida cities break heat records amid surging temperatures


Parts of Florida experienced record-breaking heat on Monday as temperatures surged in the southern United States.

Forecasters warned ahead of the holiday weekend that parts of the South and South-east would experience a heat wave on Memorial Day. According to a release from AccuWeather, an area of high pressure was building in the Gulf Coast and over the state of Florida, and sparing cloud coverage associated with the system allowed for an “intense late-May sunshine.” Highs well into the 90s from Texas to South Carolina were reported throughout the weekend.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), record-high temperatures were felt in Central Florida as area residents celebrated Memorial Day. Melbourne experienced its second-warmest May temperature at 98 degrees, while the city of Fort Pierce tied its warmest day of the month at 98.

This map from the National Weather Service shows the National Digital Forecast Database for the state of Florida for Monday, May 27.

National Weather Service

Daily record high temperatures were also set on Sunday in parts of southern Florida. Miami reached a high of 96 degrees, beating the previous record of 94 that was reached on May 26, 1949. Fort Lauderdale also topped out at 96 degrees, beating its daily record in 1963 at 94 degrees. West Palm Beach set a daily high temperature of 97 degrees on Monday, a day after it broke its previous record set in 2000.

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The NWS said that relief from the heat will come slowly over the next couple of days as scattered rain showers reach Central Florida, although a widespread low to moderate heat risk was expected throughout the work week. A “moderate” drought will also persist over the next several days in the cities of Melbourne and Okeechobee and along the Treasure Coast.

Parts of southern Texas also reached temperatures over 100 degrees on Monday. The NWS recorded a high of 97 degrees in Houston. In San Antonio, the temperature topped out at 101 degrees during the day.

The NWS issued an excessive heat warning Monday afternoon for central-southern Texas for the counties of Washington, Montgomery, Colorado, Austin, Waller, Harris, Wharton and Fort Bend. Forecasters warned that heat index values could reach up to 114 degrees, and could lead to heat-related illnesses. The warning was in place until 10 p.m. CDT Monday.

A separate warning was in place for Bee, inland San Patricio, and Live Oak counties until 8 p.m. CDT, where the heat index values were up to 115 degrees.

The NWS recommended that residents within the heat warnings drink plenty of fluids, “stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”

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“Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles,” the NWS added. “Car interiors will reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes. Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.”

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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.



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